2013 Costume Institute Exhibit : "PUNK: Chaos To Couture"

[Melancholybaby]

Born in basements and garages in the mid-seventies, the punk music movement (think The Ramones, The Clash) and its attendant fashion could probably be imagined almost anywhere except the halls of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. But there it shall be this spring when the museum unveils “PUNK: Chaos to Couture.” The exhibition, organized by the Costume Institute’s curator Andrew Bolton, highlights more than 100 designs for men and women, and examines punk’s influence—from its inception to today—on high fashion. The exhibition, which will be made possible by Moda Operandi, will be feted during the museum’s annual opening gala on May 6, 2013, and cochaired by actress Rooney Mara, Moda Operandi cofounder Lauren Santo Domingo, Anna Wintour, and designer Riccardo Tisci. Photographer Nick Knight will serve as the exhibition’s creative consultant as well as spearhead the design of the gala with Raul Avila.

vogue.com

 

[Lena]

thanks for the newsbit , sounds interesting already

 

[softgrey]

what a RIOT......

 

[mikel]

This sounds interesting. I assume that Vivienne Westwood will be a big part of this.

 

[missnyc]

Vivienne should be the host! She's the one and only queen of punk

 

[TianCouture]

It doesn't seem that interesting to me. I feel like it's something that's been done to death. Granted Anglomania was about British designers, but wasn't that punk enough? Is punk even a trend right now?

 

[ALAUU]

Ooh, very cool choice. Though Lauren Santo Domingo is not someone I would associate with punk. She's not cool enough and tries too hard, so I'm not excited to see what disaster of a gown she'll be wearing next year. I am thrilled for Riccardo and Rooney though!

 

[alonsoJonathan]

who is "Punk" nowdays? im not too into this....

 

[LolaSvelt]

^Well, who dressed like Superheroes in 2008? Or, ever? It's a theme, and quite an exciting one considering how 'un-mainstream' Punk has been the past two decades. Sure, the A-listers will end up wearing accessible generic gowns (though I have hope that Rooney and Riccardo will pull out something excellent), but I think it will be interesting to see supermodels in punk attire.

 

[Morphe]

Rolling my eyes..
All those effing fashionistas and "it" celebs better dress up for the freaking occasion this time around, unlike last year.

 

[Lena]

i believe punk is becoming totally mainstream in the way it changed the way we see fashion
season after season, there are punk elements in most design houses

even recently -during #NYFW - there was a surge of punk influence eg bondage, harness , studs, etc

 

[Chanelcouture09]

^Well, who dressed like Superheroes in 2008? Or, ever? It's a theme, and quite an exciting one considering how 'un-mainstream' Punk has been the past two decades. Sure, the A-listers will end up wearing accessible generic gowns (though I have hope that Rooney and Riccardo will pull out something excellent), but I think it will be interesting to see supermodels in punk attire.

Oh I did, at Halloween - You can't go wrong with a Mr Incredibles outfit

This sounds so intriguing, I'm so excited, but I wouldn't of put Riccardo and Punk together, he's far more gothic and romantic, but you know what ? it's Riccardo so I'm bound to love this.

I'm really excited to see this progress and I always thoroughly enjoy their exhibition books/catalogs, it's always flawlessly executed.

I'm just imagining all the pieces from various collections that reference punk, aside from the cliches of Westwood.

who is "Punk" nowdays? im not too into this....

A lot of us, even myself have attempted punk, not to the full meaning, but Biker Jackets ? they are continuously a piece that is relevant even today, Balenciaga any body ?

 

[HeatherAnne]

All those effing fashionistas and "it" celebs better dress up for the freaking occasion this time around, unlike last year.

Agreed! This is an easy one, hope they'll be able to handle it, I'm tired of nobody participating and thus the themes being utterly pointless.

 

[LagerfeldBoy]

This sounds fantastic! With such a strong and interesting theme, you can't go wrong. Now, my only expectation is to see the red carpet full of people committed to the theme. Then again, I doubt I'll be "wowed".

 

[LolaSvelt]

Oh I did, at Halloween - You can't go wrong with a Mr Incredibles outfit

This sounds so intriguing, I'm so excited, but I wouldn't of put Riccardo and Punk together, he's far more gothic and romantic, but you know what ? it's Riccardo so I'm bound to love this.

I'm really excited to see this progress and I always thoroughly enjoy their exhibition books/catalogs, it's always flawlessly executed.

I'm just imagining all the pieces from various collections that reference punk, aside from the cliches of Westwood.


A lot of us, even myself have attempted punk, not to the full meaning, but Biker Jackets ? they are continuously a piece that is relevant even today, Balenciaga any body ?

You know what? I didn't even think of that. It would be cool to see someone pair a gown with a leather jacket. And the more I think about, the more I realise that Punk is more relevant than it has been since the '80s. Look at pop stars like Rihanna and Lady Gaga. They've all done it. Or even someone less mainstream like Karen O.

 

[VogueDisciple93]

Punk to Play the Met Courtesy of the Costume Exhibit

NEW YORK — Break out the Mohawks, safety pins, torn fabrics and razor blades.

Next May, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute will stage “Punk: Chaos to Couture,” its big spring exhibition seeking to highlight the origins of the punk movement and draw direct connections to haute couture and ready-to-wear creations that it has inspired for the past three decades.

The show, which will be open to be public from May 9 to Aug. 11, will be inaugurated on May 6, when the annual Costume Institute benefit gala is scheduled to take place at the museum with Rooney Mara, Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci, Lauren Santo Domingo and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour serving as cochairs.

Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton had been mulling a show about punk for quite some time. “Punk broke all rules when it came to fashion, and everything became possible after punk,” he said. “Its impact on high fashion became so enormous, and continues at the same time.”

Unlike the Met's 2006 “AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion” exhibition, which also featured elements of punk, this exhibition will draw a direct axis between the London and New York iterations of the movement and how they impacted fashion.

“The show will start off primarily with the origins of punk and the tale of two cities,” Bolton noted.

“It's generally accepted that punk was a musical movement that emerged in the early to mid-Seventies at CBGB and Max's Kansas City [in New York] with punk bands like The Ramones. When it emerged in London, it became a different phenomenon that was much more political and aesthetic. That look of punk was formulated in London primarily through Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren.”

The exhibition, at the museum's Cantor galleries, will feature about 100 men's and women designs on display, juxtaposing original punk looks with the designer creations that were inspired by or incorporated punk elements, e.g., Gianni Versace's ultrasexy black safety pin dress that made Elizabeth Hurley an overnight star, though fashion's interest far predated the premiere of “Four Weddings and a Funeral.”

“The first time it was adopted into high fashion was really with Zandra Rhodes in 1977,” Bolton said.

“Primarily the biggest legacy is DIY [do-it-yourself] and deconstruction,” he added. “Punk has had one of the biggest influences on fashion over the last 30 years, and sometimes people wear punk without even realizing it.”

The list of designers in the exhibition is extensive: Haider Ackermann, Miguel Adrover, Azzedine Alaïa, Boudicca, Ann Demeulemeester, Dolce & Gabbana, Andrew Groves, Marc Jacobs, Rei Kawakubo, Alexander McQueen, Rodarte, and Alexander Wang are just some of the names that will be incorporated in thematic galleries. These will be titled “Rebel Heroes,” “The Couturiers Situationists” (focusing on punk's godparents McLaren and Westwood); “Pavilions of Anarchy and Elegance,” “Punk Couture;” “DIY Style” and “La Mode Destroy.” Photographer Nick Knight, who is known to incorporate innovative technology into his images, will serve as the creative consultant and will create the gala's look with Raul Avila.

Moda Operandi, which launched in February 2011, will underwrite the show (it recently raised $36 million from such firms as LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and IMG). Condé Nast will provide additional support.

Santo Domingo, Moda Operandi's cofounder and creative director, said, “History is one of the greatest sources of inspiration in fashion, and we are especially excited for this exhibit because of punk's long-lasting impact upon fashion today.”

Cofounder and chief executive officer Áslaug Magnúsdóttir added, “The Costume Institute celebrates fashion as an art form that inspires movements and resonates with individuals,” noting a kindred spirit between Moda Operandi and the Costume Institute, which is “to connect women worldwide to designers and provide them access to the most special pieces ever produced.”

Asked if he expects to see many Mohawks and other punk behavior at fashion's party of the year, Bolton laughed. “I think we will be seeing dresses with a slight tear or gaps, which is so punk but very subtle,” he said.

Whether or not The Sex Pistol's Johnny Rotten, whose irreverent behavior raised a few eyebrows at the gala for “AngloMania” will be invited back for an encore remains to be seen, but Bolton assured that his spirit will be there either way. As he put it, “He was so inventive in terms of his self-presentation, he will definitely be in the presentation.”

WWD 9/13/2012

 

[Spike413]

This sounds very promising, and at the very least the selection of clothes they'll come up with should be amazing.

 

[missnyc]

I hope Vivienne has a big presence!

 

[TianCouture]

It'll be interesting to see if any of Galliano's work will be in the show...

 

[mikel]

^My thoughts exactly.