Attending were:Daphne
Guinness, Tiffany Kpury,
Andrew Bolton, Agnes Gund,
Barbara Tober, Ralph Rucci,
Francisco Costa, Dennis
Basso, Narcisco Rodriguez,
Stephen Burrows, Yaz
Hernandez, Caroline Milbank,
Bell Chadwick, Christian
Cota, Melissa Lewis
Bernstein, Ria A. Davis,
Heidi Dillon, Maria Cornejo,
Yeohlee, Jean Yu, Nicholas
Caito, Epperson, Charles
Kleibacker, and Costello
Tagliapietra
The Museum at the Fashion Institute of
Technology (FIT) presents American Beauty: Aesthetics and Innovation
in Fashion, the first exhibition to
explore how the "philosophy of beauty" is
allied to the craft of dressmaking. Each of
the 75 looks on display was chosen to
exemplify the relationship between technical
ingenuity and artistic excellence. Curator
Patricia Mears has focused on approximately
25 American fashion designers, ranging from
the obscure, such as Jessie Franklin Turner,
whose work dates from the late 1910s, to
rising stars of the present day, such as the
Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte. Other designers
featured include Adrian, Bonnie Cashin,
Maria Cornejo, James Galanos, Halston,
Elizabeth Hawes, Charles James, Charles
Kleibacker, Claire McCardell, Norman Norell,
Rick Owens, Ralph Rucci, Isabel Toledo,
Pauline Trigère, Valentina, Yeohlee, and
Jean Yu.
"The garments in American Beauty are
connected by one overriding criterion: They
have all been created by designers who
utilized the craft of dressmaking as the
point of departure to create beautiful,
wearable objects," said Patricia Mears,
deputy director of The Museum at FIT. "This
focus on construction further illustrates
that each designer's method of attaining
innovative shapes and forms could only have
come about because craft was the central
focus of the creative process. While this
exhibition most definitely is not a
retrospective, the range of clothing types
included in American Beauty is comprehensive
in that it includes both high- and
low-priced fashion from the past 100 years
of American fashion."
American Beauty includes such
dressmaking disciplines as draping,
geometric forms, tailoring, and rigid
construction from a broad spectrum of
clothing styles, including daywear, suits,
evening gowns, and active wear. The link
between aesthetics and innovation will
further be explored by illustrating the
diversity of creative styles in the United
States, from highly functional and
economical ready-to-wear garments to
elaborate couture creations and Hollywood
costumes. The exhibition will be designed by
Charles B. Froom.
A lavishly illustrated book, also called
American Beauty: Aesthetics and Innovation
in Fashion, will be published by
Yale University Press, with proceeds going
to the Fashion Institute of Technology. A
wide range of public programs, including
free lectures and tours, will accompany the
exhibition. For a program of events, call
212 217.4585 or email
mailto.
museuminfo@fitnyc.edu?subject=American%20Beauty
1stdibs, the online resource for antique and
vintage design, is a main sponsor of the
exhibition, American Beauty,
and the American Style symposium. Throughout
the run of the show, 1stdibs will present
editorial features on its website, including
exhibition coverage and a book review,
interviews with the exhibition designer, and
an exclusive conversation with museum
director, Dr. Valerie Steele, about MFIT's
permanent collections.
The Coby Foundation is a New York-based
organization that supports exhibitions and
educational programming that combine
excellent scholarship and effective
interpretation of the needle arts, including
fashion.
Yoox.com, the online retailer, is the
museum's media partner for American
Beauty. The site will post
interviews with some of the key designers
featured in the exhibition, including Ralph
Rucci, Yeohlee, and Rodarte. Yoox.com also
will produce an insider's view of the
exhibition and detail the construction of
featured objects, such as the interior of
Charles James's magnificent evening gowns,
Adrian's complex tailored suits, and
Halston's geometrically-cut evening wear.
A FASHION MUSEUM
The Museum at FIT is the only museum in New
York City dedicated solely to the art of
fashion. Best known for its innovative and
award-winning exhibitions, which have been
described by Roberta Smith in The New York
Times as "ravishing," the museum has a
collection of more than 50,000 garments and
accessories dating from the 18th century to
the present. Like other fashion museums,
such as the Musée de la Mode, the Mode
Museum, and the Museo de la Moda, The Museum
at FIT collects, conserves, documents,
exhibits, and interprets fashion. The
museum's mission is to advance knowledge of
fashion through exhibitions, publications,
and public programs. Visit
http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30Url.aspx?514287x15095x407025
The Museum is part of the Fashion Institute
of Technology (FIT), a college of art and
design, business and technology, that
educates more than 10,000 students
annually. FIT is part of the State
University of New York (SUNY) and offers
more than 44 majors leading to the AAS, BFA,
BS, MA, and MPS degrees. Visit
http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30/Url.aspx?514287x15096x-420560.
The Couture Council is a membership group of
fashion enthusiasts that helps support the
exhibitions and programs of The Museum at
FIT. The Couture Council Award for Artistry
of Fashion is given to a selected designer
at a benefit luncheon held in the Rainbow
Room every September. For information on the
Couture Council, call 212 217.4532 or e-mail
couturecouncil@fitnyc.edu
MUSEUM HOURS
Tuesday-Friday – noon-8 pm
Saturday –10 am-5 pm
Closed Sunday, Monday, and legal holidays
Admission is free and open to the public.
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