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Exhibition: The Body: Fashion and Physique — Opens

December 5, 2017

tunic designed by Martin Margiela
Maison Martin Margiela, tunic, linen, spring 1997, Belgium, museum purchase.

December 5, 2017 – May 5, 2018

Fashion is inextricably linked to the physical form of the wearer. The cut of a garment draws the eye to zones of the body, simultaneously accentuating and concealing in order to achieve a desired silhouette. Elaborate undergarments, diet regimens, exercise routines, and even plastic surgery have all been promoted as necessary tools for attaining the ideal fashion shape. However, the idealized fashionable body is a cultural construct. Over the last 250 years, full hips, narrow hips, feminine waists, and boyish frames have each, at different times, been hailed as the pinnacle of beauty. According to a Vogue article from 1950, “A ‘figure’…is considered good or bad only as related to clothing generally, and current fashions specifically.” The Body: Fashion and Physique will explore the complex history of the “perfect” body in fashion.

This exhibition will also examine the broader relationship between the fashion industry and body politics from the 19th century to the present. Fifty objects from the collection of The Museum at FIT will be on view, alongside clippings, photographs, and videos from the popular press. The Body: Fashion and Physique will elucidate the impact the fashion industry has had on how people have viewed and treated their bodies throughout history. It will also consider how fashion has contributed to the marginalization of certain body types within our culture.

Details

Date:
December 5, 2017
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Website:
fitnyc.edu/museum

Venue

Fashion and Textile History Gallery, The Museum at FIT
Fashion Institute of Technology
New York City, NY 10001 United States
Phone:
212 217.4558
Website:
fitnyc.edu/museum

Organizer

The Museum at FIT
Phone:
(212) 217-4558
Email:
museuminfo@fitnyc.edu
Website:
fitnyc.edu/museum