Interviews
Fashion & Politics reveals the rich history of politics in fashion
10 Jun '09
5 min read
The post-World War II baby-boom generation came of age in the 1960s--a decade of youth, technology, space exploration, and burgeoning sexual revolution. Capturing the mood of the era were designers such as Pierre Cardin, Andre Courrèges, and Rudi Gernreich, all of whom have garments on display. Gernreich once stated that his designs were both fashion and social commentary--none more so than his famous topless bathing suit, the "Monokini," which is featured in the exhibition.
As it moves into the second half of the twentieth century, the exhibition shows that the use of political and social imagery was becoming increasingly explicit in fashion. On display are examples from Vivienne Tam's controversial 1995 "Mao" Collection, which used a highly charged propagandist image--the face of Communist leader Mao Zedong--to comment on Chinese political history. Set against a camouflage background, Stephen Sprouse's subversive homage to the Declaration of Independence alludes to the complex relationship between government and the military.
Present-day fashions reflect a renewed interest in politics, sparked in large part by the election of Barack Obama, the United States' first African-American president. Just as Obama's campaign centered on such socially charged words as "progress" and "change," many contemporary designers are currently using fashion as a medium for raising political and social awareness and promoting environmentalism.
The Danish fashion brand NOIR works with sustainable materials and fair-trade practices to blend luxury and sophistication with social responsibility. On another note, dresses from Alexandre Herchcovitch's spring 2009 collection entitled "Army of Love" were inspired by "politically troubled, foreign-ruled, war-torn countries." These examples are among the many ways that fashion continues to powerfully articulate our concerns about social issues such as war, global warming, and economic uncertainty.
Fashion and Politics is organized by Melissa Marra and Jennifer Farley, along with Colleen Hill, Harumi Hotta, and Lynn Weidner. The exhibition will be on view from July 7, 2009 through November 7, 2009 in the Fashion and Textile History Gallery at The Museum at FIT.
The Fashion and Textile History Gallery presents biannual exhibitions examining aspects of the past 250 years of fashion. Exhibitions are curated exclusively from The Museum at FIT's extensive collection. Support for this exhibition has been provided by the Couture Council.
As it moves into the second half of the twentieth century, the exhibition shows that the use of political and social imagery was becoming increasingly explicit in fashion. On display are examples from Vivienne Tam's controversial 1995 "Mao" Collection, which used a highly charged propagandist image--the face of Communist leader Mao Zedong--to comment on Chinese political history. Set against a camouflage background, Stephen Sprouse's subversive homage to the Declaration of Independence alludes to the complex relationship between government and the military.
Present-day fashions reflect a renewed interest in politics, sparked in large part by the election of Barack Obama, the United States' first African-American president. Just as Obama's campaign centered on such socially charged words as "progress" and "change," many contemporary designers are currently using fashion as a medium for raising political and social awareness and promoting environmentalism.
The Danish fashion brand NOIR works with sustainable materials and fair-trade practices to blend luxury and sophistication with social responsibility. On another note, dresses from Alexandre Herchcovitch's spring 2009 collection entitled "Army of Love" were inspired by "politically troubled, foreign-ruled, war-torn countries." These examples are among the many ways that fashion continues to powerfully articulate our concerns about social issues such as war, global warming, and economic uncertainty.
Fashion and Politics is organized by Melissa Marra and Jennifer Farley, along with Colleen Hill, Harumi Hotta, and Lynn Weidner. The exhibition will be on view from July 7, 2009 through November 7, 2009 in the Fashion and Textile History Gallery at The Museum at FIT.
The Fashion and Textile History Gallery presents biannual exhibitions examining aspects of the past 250 years of fashion. Exhibitions are curated exclusively from The Museum at FIT's extensive collection. Support for this exhibition has been provided by the Couture Council.
Fashion Institute of Technology
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