The exhibition Items: Is fashion Modern was very interesting, the way that it broke down fashion and objects created an atmosphere for learning and really investigating the seemingly basic pieces in the museum. From the flip-flop and sweatshirt to the Issey Miyake dress the exhibition brought prominent fashion staples into the same area and discussed their place in our society. This piece for me really communicates movement, the excessive material train creates drama and shapes within the way it is shown in its static museum form, but one can also imagine how it would move upon a body. Flowing and shifting to create ripples and movement while the person wearing the garment walked.
That is part of why the exhibition was so fascinating, it highlighted something about each garment, even seemingly mundane ones like the sweatshirt, and gave them a new lens to be seen through. The gown shows me another side of fashion the extreme but also active side. Where one focuses on the human interaction one has with a chosen garment. This show brings the human aspect back to the world of fashion, something that I strive for in my own work.
Going forward I look to use what I saw in the Moma in my designs, framing my work in such a way that encourages investigation. Looking at the show also helped me further understand fashion “staples” and why/how a garment or piece becomes one of these global successes. The common theme I picked up which also related back to the dress practice logs is that everyone wants to feel comfortable and still look chic or presentable or hip, etc. Fashion is so literally wrapped around the body and somehow that gets lost sometimes while one is designing, but this exhibition reminds of this bodily relationship.
