The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is dedicating its new fashion exhibition to female designers, breaking some stereotypes and shining a light on those who don’t get enough attention.
Although she designed Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress in 1953, Anne Lowe’s dress, a pioneering African-American designer, is one of the most prominent pieces participating in the “Women Wear Women” exhibit.
With 80 pieces by 70 fashion designers, the exhibition offers a glimpse into women’s couture from the 20th century to the present, and environmental advocacy messages from designers such as Gabriela Horst and Hilary Taymor.
The story of many female designers began in the sewing workshops where women were usually sent, but many of them left their mark at the beginning of the 20th century, including French designers Madeleine Vionnet, Jean Lanvin and Gabrielle Chanel.
The company delved into its collection, which includes 33,000 pieces representing seven centuries of clothing, selecting dresses designed by Elsa Chiaparelli, Nina Ricci and Vivienne Westwood.
The exhibition will be further highlighted during the museum’s flagship fashion exhibition “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” in spring 2024, where it will showcase rare and highly fragile pieces.
The extensive exhibition includes around 250 garments and accessories spanning four centuries, including 33,000 pieces, from a 17th-century embroidered jacket to an Alexander McQueen spring Seychelles dress from the Fashion Institute’s extensive archives. and the Summer 2001 Collection.
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