The Metropolitan Museum of Art, affectionately known as The Met, is gearing up to unveil a highly anticipated new exhibit in celebration of its 150th anniversary. Entitled “About Time: Fashion and Duration,” this captivating showcase will be housed in the renowned Costume Institute within the museum’s walls in New York City. Aiming to delve into the intriguing concept of time and its relationship with clothing, the exhibit will present a curated timeline of 125 distinct fashion pieces dating all the way back to 1870, showcasing the evolution of style over the years.
The innovative layout of the exhibit will be divided into two interconnected galleries cleverly designed as oversized clock faces, offering a visually stunning backdrop for the stunning array of fashion pieces on display. Each ‘minute’ on the clock will feature a carefully curated pair of garments from different eras, intricately linked through various design elements like shape, fabric, pattern, and more. As visitors journey through the exhibition, they will be accompanied by the ethereal presence of Virginia Woolf, who will serve as the ‘ghost narrator’ of this fascinating exploration of fashion through the lens of time.
Among the many intriguing pairings to be spotlighted in the exhibit are a lavish black silk faille princess-line dress from the late 1870s juxtaposed with an edgy Alexander McQueen ‘Bumster’ skirt from 1995. Another captivating contrast includes a striking black silk satin dress with exaggerated leg-o’-mutton sleeves from the mid-1890s set alongside a deconstructed ensemble by Comme des Garçons from 2004. The exhibit will close with a show-stopping white dress from Viktor & Rolf’s spring/summer 2020 haute couture collection, crafted from upcycled fabric swatches in a stunning patchwork design symbolizing the future of fashion and sustainability in the industry.
In order to experience this enthralling exhibit, visitors must secure a timed-entry exhibition ticket to adhere to the current health and safety protocols in place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Although The Met had to cancel its prestigious annual fundraising gala earlier this year, this new exhibition will be open to the public and will run until February 7, 2021, inviting art enthusiasts and fashion lovers alike to immerse themselves in this extraordinary celebration of fashion’s enduring evolution at The Met’s Costume Institute.
To learn more about The Met’s Costume Institute and its upcoming exhibits, please visit their official website here. Additionally, for information on purchasing tickets and visiting guidelines, click here.
