Initially, I thought that the Alexander Mcqueen “engineered print silk dress”, was placed in the exhibition because of the dress’s material connection to technology. An engineered print is done through a digital printer, where the prints are printed directly on specific pattern pieces. This process is unique and expensive because unlike printed textiles, engineered prints are generated through CAD design. I believe that this particular McQueen piece was added to the exhibition because of its technological abilities.
Later I understood that this partially McQueen piece was part of FIT 2016 “FairyTale Fashion” exhibit. Which was a and imaginative exhibition that examined fairy tales through the lens of high fashion? The spring 2009 Mcqueen show, “Plato’s Atlantis” was an apocalyptic forecast of the future”. The scale-like prints and models who looked like sea creatures hinted at the idea of an underwater civilization. 2009 was a time of heightened awareness of environmental injustices, climate change, and the melting ice capsules. So although the FIT’s 2016 exhibition theme was fairy tales – The MFIT 50 Exhibit included a piece from a McQueen collection that was ultimately and dystopian society instead of a fairytale. When the philosopher Plato speaks about, “Atlantis” he speaks about a technically advanced underwater civilization.
Although there were pieces from the Manus × Machina exhibition at the MFIT exhibit, which was a display of technology and fashion, I think this specific McQueen dress educated the viewer about technology and storytelling. The extremely graphic materiality of the dress expresses the technical skill of computer-generated art. Throughout the entire fit museum, there were only 4 digitally printed garments, and McQueen’s piece was the only engineered printed garment. The story and concept that the piece expresses are that of a fantasized dystopia and a black minor reflection- of a projected future of the melting ice caps. Within the context of the MFIT exhibition, this McQueen piece helps the viewer to sympathize with the environmental injustice while positioning ourselves as the future byproduct of human disaster. But within the context of the MFIT, a regular person who doesn’t study fashion wouldn’t have known that. Even if they had read the label that says “ 2016 “FairyTale Fashion” exhibit.” That’s still not enough context for the regular everyday person to make these connections. However, this McQueen piece, without any written description, stands alone as a beautiful object. But I wonder if that’s all the viewer will leave with?
