It’s a rare occurrence when art and fashion collide at a major art institution. Typically, fashion has its home on the runway, and art on the walls of the Met and other museums. Now I’ve always believed that fashion is art, but it takes a special designer to catch the eyes of a curator or director in a museum.
Enter Alexander McQueen, the fashion world’s top artist. Before his tragic and untimely death in February 2010, McQueen created shows that were true spectacles. McQueen recreated his eponymous label with every show, each time with taller shoes, more outrageous fabrics, and more extreme runway presentations.
So, it comes as no surprise that on May 4th, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York will be featuring a show titled Savage Beauty, celebrating the hallmark creations of McQueen’s career. Over one hundred ensembles will be featured, showcasing looks from seasons beginning at his postgraduate collection and ending with his aquatic-alien final season.
I personally will be doing everything in my power to make it to New York to see this wonderful celebration of one of the greatest creative geniuses of this century. Even if that isn’t in the cards, be sure to check out this month’s Vogue to see each featured look worn by a model of the moment. Or, if you happen to share my strange obsession with coffee table books, the Met is selling the exhibition catalogue online on their website.
–Katie Cannady
Graphics by Rosalind Mowitt
