DESIGNING WOMEN
Although it's been said that well-behaved women rarely make history, the same doesn't apply to well-dressed women, as the Museum at FIT proves with
Arbiters of Style.
The exhibit, which spans 250 years, brings together a disparate group of designers, buyers, and wearers with one thing in common: They're of the fairer sex. From Coco Chanel's liberating suits to Caroline Reboux's structureless cloches to Vivienne Westwood's deconstructed Anglomania suits, fashion is as much about frivolity as it is reflecting changing social conditions (be they gaining the right to vote, ridding wardrobes of the corset, or spearheading women's lib). “Just like in other businesses, women's involvement has increased over the years, but we also make the point in the exhibition that women have been active in fashion as designers and promoters since the 18th century” say the exhibit's co-curators, Molly Sorkin and Colleen Hill. While Karan, Prada, Herrera, and even the sisters Mulleavy have become household names, both Sorkin and Hill see this development as only the beginning: “The roles of women continue to evolve. Globalization ensures that the fashion industry is constantly growing, providing opportunities for an increasing number of women.” Hillary, take note.
Arbiters of Style, May 21-November 8, The Museum at FIT, Seventh Avenue at 27 Street, New York, NY, 212-217-4558
elle.com