The spring 2024 exhibition of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art entitled Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion is an exploration into the concept of rebirth and renewal in fashion that highlights the Institute's work of fashion conservation by showcasing their archival and restoration processes. The exhibit is comprised of approximately 220 historical and contemporary garments and accessories spanning 4 centuries from the museum's archive are all visually connected through themes of nature, which also serves as a visual metaphor that examines ideas around the transience of fashion.
The show also explores the various sensory aspects of fashion as an experience as visitors are encouraged to smell the aromatic floral motifs, to touch gallery walls of galleries embossed with the embroidery of select garments and "talk to" historical figures through the use of artificial intelligence. The "sleeping beauties" that give the show it's title refer to the archival pieces that are too fragile to be displayed on mannequins. The exhibition uses AI, animation and X-rays to bring these historical garments to life for visitors.
I found the theme of nature symbolized through the transformation and ties between the past and present to be quite powerful and it was fascinating to see a curation of archival pieces displayed alongside contemporary garments. The show is organized by organic life, with backdrops ranging from birds and marine life to foliage, shells, insects, and arrays of flowers which reinforces the concept of rebirth and renewal. I have to say some of the pieces were truly spectacular to behold in person as they really make you appreciate fashion as an art form. The workmanship was truly exquisite. I can't speak to the sensory experience as it was fairly crowded and we opted not to partake. I didn't want to touch anything that many people have run their hands over because germs and couldn't trust that the air was clean to sniff anything.
I hope you will enjoy this peek inside. I took as many photos as I could to share. Check out some of the other exhibitions I've featured here like China Through The Looking Glass, Karl Lagerfeld A Line Of Beauty and Yves Saint Laurent The Perfection Of Style. Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York through September 2. The museum offers a virtual line system for the exhibition so you can go see other things while waiting.
6 comments
This is beautiful.
Beautiful creations and designs. They do look like they belong in a museum. The flower details are so gorgeous. So lovely you were able to visit this exhibition.
Have a nice day.
Adorable, i love it!
Oh my gosh! The sheer beauty of these items...thank you soooo much for sharing, chingu! I am in awe of the skilled artists that did the work for these pieces. Each one of them is just breath-taking. My dream is to have even an ounce of the talent of these people...sigh.....
Hope you're having a great Monday so far:)
What a beautiful exhibit! These creations are definitely exhibit worthy!
Beautiful dress.
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