EXHIBITIONISM
Stepping into the ‘Exhibitionism’ exhibition at FIT, I felt a sense of familiarity as I walked around the space. It was almost as if my History of Fashion textbook had come to life, but with newer contemporary additions to it. From “King Of Fashion” Paul Poiret to CFDA Winner Pyer Moss’s designs on display, the exhibit was one of the most diverse curatorial spaces I’ve stepped into. There was one section I was drawn to most, and that was the one of Fairy Tale Fashion; the seductive and bold pop of red instantly drew me in as I walked past the sections.
Comme des Garcons’s red polyester crepe chiffon dress, faux patent leather cape, with a detachable hood from the 2015 Spring Collection was the object that stood out to me. Being familiar with this collection, I was completely in awe of the proportionality of the garment, and the explosion of the valiant red in all details of the look. To me, the red was a bloody one, more than a luscious color of love- it had a sinister atmosphere; which could also be due to the extremely dark exhibit space that gave it that environment, in addition to the dark shadow created by the oversized hood in the ensemble. In my perspective, the color was definitely not all fun and playful, it had a darkness to it that felt mysterious, it felt like a costume with a story. Since the object was placed in the ‘Fairy Tale Fashion’ section, I do believe my interpretation aligned with the designers intention;I felt like I stepped into the world of a character from my books growing up. The longer I spent with the entire ensemble, the more I felt like it took me back to a Red Riding Hood. I believe the sinister feel came from the fact that originally, these “fairytales” didn’t all have ‘happy’ endings, like their current modern portrayals catered to younger audiences. To me, the object spoke loud and clear and created that vibe of mystery and darkness, which makes it a great fit for the fairytale section of the exhibit.
Additionally, in terms of the color ‘red’ – I believe the color invokes feelings of seduction, violence, danger, fire, blood, power and so much more. In India, red is the color the bride wears on her wedding day, which influences my perspective on it being a more feminine color. To me, red is a very empowering, bold and extreme color; a color with no doubts if it were to be personified.
In the article on ‘Fashion As Art’ by Suzy Menkes in the NYTimes, there is much discussion on fashion designers being artists, and I do believe this object is a perfect example of it. I do think costume can be seen as living art; costume is as much a character from a book than the character itself- it has a life of its own. I specially felt this due to the cinematic presentation of the ensemble in the space of the exhibit. It felt more like an art piece with a back story, but also retained it’s place in the realm of high fashion.
Having seen the entire Fairytale Fashion exhibit from 2016, I see why this object was placed in the 50th anniversary of the Museum. The object is something you can instantly familiarize yourself with as you step into the exhibit, which is why I feel it was apart of the chosen objects in this curation- it is an object I most certainly connect with from my childhood; it undoubtedly brings in the fairly tale- costume – atmosphere. I believe this object is a great fit for its section of the exhibition, it is extremely nostalgic and can be placed into social context seamlessly.
