Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana

"American High Style: Fashioning a National Collection" is presented by The Met and the Brooklyn Museum.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum joined forces and set up two exhibitions to give the public a real opportunity to discover the evolution of American fashion. To understand who the America woman is and how she dresses today, seeing this retrospective is a must.  From Brooklyn to Manhattan, you are a bridge away from the concurrent exhibition opening today at The Met, American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity.

 

This unique collection unveiled in two places, relates the evolution of women dressing in America. 85 masterworks are presented to the public for the first time in more than two decades. It takes us back to 19th century with Charles Frederick's afternoon dresses and headdresses embellished with semi-precious stones. Many creations were milestones and were gifts from leaders of fashion and major donors to the Brooklyn Museum. Arts and crafts are revealed to us, us that dress casual most of the time. “An outfit for a moment” used to be the rule. Specific dress codes were applied and these would honour the people you were with or the place you were to be seen.

 

Nowadays, we celebrate accessories in every magazine and often call them to update the last year's suit. When discovering Brooklyn Museum’s collection of headdresses, shoes, jewellery, we understand that they used to be much more prominent. Not only did they add a twist to a look, they were a defined part of a look. In the early 20th century, a hat for a woman was not an option. Millinery was always included in a designer’s couture proposition. The style of a hat, a pair of shoes or a dress would tell everything about one’s role in the society. Wealth and power were expressed in style.

 

Going through various fashion times, one realises that people could enjoy the moment and get ready for this enjoyment. Today, everything seems accessible from everywhere. We can still work out outfits for specific occasions but…. Yes there is a but… No free time to think, to browse, to try and to decide. Spare time is today’s luxury.

 

The Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection will be presented at the Brooklyn Museum from May 7 through August 1, 2010.

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s concurrent exhibition, American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity, which is the first drawn from the newly established Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at the Met is on view from today through August 15, 2010.

For more information, please visit: www.brooklynmuseum.org

 Source: Brooklyn Museum.

Text by Delphine Hervieu.

TAGS: brooklyn museum met the met the metropolitan museum the history of fashion fashion in americe fashion exhibitions fashion exhibition 2010 ny new york charles james lanvin charles frederick evening dress ball gown headdresses opening at the met dolce&gabbana d&g