Just as the ’60s were a revolutionary period for politics and youth culture throughout the world, the era redefined fashion. "Once only the rich, the Establishment, set the fashion. Now it is the inexpensive little dress seen on the girls in High Street," British designer and boutique owner Mary Quant has said of the transition. London's mod scene and American hippies began setting trends—dressing for self-expression, blurring traditional lines of gender identity, embracing sexuality and new silhouettes. Youthquake! explores the decade with an exhibition that showcases garments and historical footage. (NYCGO)
Through April 7, 2012 at The Museum at FIT, 7th Avenue & W 27th Street, New York, 212-217-4558
The artist and author Jean-Philippe Delhomme presents a selection of fashion illustrations at the French Institute. His career has entailed illustrations published in such publications as Vogue, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. He's also created a clever ad campaign for Barneys, published several books and spent the last year living in Bushwick, working on his blog unknownhipster.com. (NYCGO)
Through April 14, 2012 at FIAF Gallery, 22 East 60th Street, New York, 212-355-6100
"Fashion is constantly changing," Council of Fashion Designers of America CEO Steven Kolb said in a recent interview with nycgo.com. "As an organization, we’ve evolved over the 50 years to become a very forceful, dynamic family of creative types. There's really no other organization like it in the world." For the past half-century, the not-for-profit trade association has worked to cultivate the talent that has established American design as the international force it is today. Conceived by CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg, Impact honors the organization's nearly 600 designer members, past and present, through object and image—including pieces by Halston, Calvin Klein, Bill Blass, Tom Ford and Rodarte. (NYCGO)
Through April 17, 2012 at The Museum at FIT, 7th Avenue & West 27th Street, New York, 212-217-4558
In 1928, the late, now-legendary fashion photographer Cecil Beaton moved from England to New York, where he shot fashion spreads and portraits for the likes of Vogue and Vanity Fair. He also designed costumes and film sets for classics like My Fair Lady (1956) and Swan Lake (1951). The New York Years, now on view at the Museum of the City of New York, pays homage to his time in the City, with a collection of photographs, including portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Mick Jagger and Greta Garbo, plus costume and set designs. (NYCGO)
Through April 22, 2012 at Museum of the City of New York, 1220 5th Avenue, 212-534-1672
With exhibitions at The Museum at FIT coming and going, it's easy to overlook the institution's permanent collection, which is wonderfully comprehensive. The first of a two-part showcase will present 50 masterpieces chosen from the 50,000 garments and accessories in the archive and include stunning pieces from Gareth Pugh, Alexander McQueen, Thierry Mugler, Gianni Versace, Prada and Valentino. Admission to The Museum at FIT is always free. (NYCGO)
Through May 8, 2012 at The Museum at FIT, 7th Avenue & West 27th Street, New York, 212-217-4558
Known for creating the monokini — the first topless swimsuit — Rudi Gernreich pushed American boundaries in the middle of the last century. This exhibition chronicles Gernreich’s relationship with his muse, model Peggy Moffitt, and Moffitt’s husband, photographer William Claxton, who often photographed Moffitt wearing Gernreich’s fashion-forward creations. (ArtInfo)
Through May 20, 2012 at MOCA Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, 310-657-0800
The 40-year retrospective of designer Yves Saint Laurent will be at the Denver Art Museum featuring over 200 haute couture garments, as well as historical photos, drawings and films that highlight the designer’s extensive career. From his early days at Dior to his final show for Yves in 2002, Saint Laurent remains one of the most influential creative minds of the last century. (FIT)
Through July 8, 2012 at Denver Art Museum, 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, Denver, 720-865-5000
The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier is a dynamic, multimedia exhibition that will include 140 haute couture and prêt-à-porter designs created between the mid-1970s and 2010, along with numerous sketches, archival documents, fashion photographs, and video clips that spotlight Gaultier’s collaborations with filmmakers, choreographers, and musicians, most notably Madonna. (FIT)
Through August 19, 2012 at De Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, 415-750-3600
The Met's Spring 2012 Costume Institute exhibition explores the striking affinities between Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada, two Italian designers from different eras. Inspired by Miguel Covarrubias's "Impossible Interviews" for Vanity Fair in the 1930s, the exhibition features fictive conversations between these iconic women to suggest new readings of their most innovative work. Iconic ensembles will be presented with videos of simulated conversations between Schiaparelli and Prada directed by Baz Luhrmann, focusing on how both women explore similar themes in their work through very different approaches. (MetMuseum)
Through August 19, 2012 at The Metropolitan Museum, 1000 5th Avenue, New York, 212-535-7710
The strength of the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s fashion arts collection is rooted in celebrated American fashion designers Norman Norell, Bill Blass, and Halston, all of who hailed from Indiana. An American Legacy is the first group exhibition devoted to these prolific Indiana designers, whose work came to define a true American style. (FIT)
From May 4, 2012 to January 27, 2013 at Indianapolis Museum of Art, 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, 317-923-1331
Get the RSS Feed
