Every year, I visit the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the latest exhibit following the Met Gala. And with the most recent Met Gala happening earlier this month (in honor of Karl Lagerfeld), I realized that I never posted about the last one I attended. Due to Covid, there was no Met Gala in 2020, but it returned in September 2021 with a theme all about America’s contributions to fashion. The accompanying exhibit was a massive two-parter, with the first one being a more modern look at American fashion: In America: A Lexicon of Fashion. And the second part, which opened later in May 2022, had more of a historical focus: In America: An Anthology of Fashion. I went to see both and I wanted to share my thoughts and photos for anyone who didn’t get a chance to visit.
Part One: In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
According to the Met’s website, the first part of the exhibit “establishes a modern vocabulary of American fashion based on its expressive qualities.” From patchwork, to denim, to chunky knits, to lingerie, the exhibit mixed in a wide variety of designs, techniques, and cultures — all of which makes America (and our fashion) what it is.
This portion of the exhibit included 100 men’s and women’s ensembles by all different designers from the 1940s to present day. According to the Met’s site, each outfit was enclosed in a case for an artistic reason — it represented three-dimensional “patches” of a quilt. A patchwork quilt was the overall theme of the exhibit, serving as a metaphor for all of the different cultural identities within the United States. Each look also had a word paired with it, which explored “defining emotional qualities.” I did really enjoy that thoughtful touch and it made you think more about each garment and how they made you feel.
Almost all of the garments were on white mannequins with white backdrops and white lighting. On one hand, this really allowed the clothes to shine and create contrast from one another in a clean, clear way. On the other hand, I do feel like that was maybe a bit boring and could have benefitted from some color and size diversity with the mannequins and displays. I appreciate the fact that there were some items that provoked thought, but I still feel like boundaries could have been pushed more to display the true diversity that makes this country a melting pot — especially within fashion.
Part Two: In America: An Anthology of Fashion
The second portion highlighted “sartorial narratives that relate to the complex and layered histories of the American Wing period rooms,” according to the Met’s website. This exhibit had scenes set up in each room. A lot of the clothes were from the 1800s-1900s, which isn’t always my personal favorite to admire, but I could definitely tell that a lot of thought went into how each display was put together. The clothing and the elaborate rooms really did feel like an old movie scene. As you walk through the rooms, you kind of feel like you’re walking through time.
Towards the end of the exhibit, there were pieces from Native American culture on display. I think this was very important to acknowledge, not only because of their beauty and impeccable craftsmanship, but because it’s literally the basis for all of American culture.
And my favorite part, was the room modeled after the Battle of Versailles. This is an important moment in fashion history when the United States proved itself to be a leader in the global world of fashion. Basically, there was a huge fashion show in France in 1973 where American designers showed up and showed out — which shook European fashion houses to their core. This room was beautifully curated and so creative! It definitely stood out from the others, which was great considering what a big roll this event played in American fashion history.
What did you think of this Met Gala theme?
