It is not always meaningful to describe clothing as timeless. “If something is timeless it’s also not fashionable at any given moment,” said Dr. Valerie Steele. “Fashion is about change, novelty and silhouette. Saying something is timeless is a lazy way of looking at the issue.” Steele, the Director of The Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology, understands the nuances of fashion. Her latest book, The Black Dress, will be published in November. She also curated the latest exhibit at the museum, Luxury, which traces changes in taste and status of clothing for the past 250 years.
The exhibit begins with the juxtaposition of a fall '07 Prada ensemble and 1939 Ben Kahn fur coat. The Prada skirt has plastic fringe and there is a fake orange fur, while the Kahn coat is a wild Canadian mink. Steele said that for the middle class, mink was the traditional status symbol. But now, mink carries more controversy than prestige. “Prada is the prestige—it’s very of the moment,” she said. “If they come out with a fake fur, it is a status symbol. There is no simple relationship between status and luxury.”
The exhibit features gowns by the great couturiers Charles Frederick Worth, Paul Poiret, and Coco Chanel. Couture, said Steel, is the ultimate luxury. “Houses like Hermes and Louis Vuitton have tremendous status not just because of their quality and workmanship but also because of the pedigree of their clients.” As if to prove her point, a few days ago Vuitton launched a new ad campaign that features former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev sitting next to a LV bag as he rides by the Berlin Wall in a limo.
In addition to Hermes handbags, an ice blue beaded Maggy Rouff evening gown from 1949, and peach colored Paquin slips, the exhibit also has little gems like a rare 1889 ribbon sample book from France. The book displays the most lavish and finely woven silk and velvet ribbons in the Museum’s collection. While Paris is the capital of women’s fashion, London--the economic powerhouse of the world—becomes the center of men’s fashion. With the rise of capitalism and democracy, men’s clothing becomes dark and sober—while women’s attire remains colorful and artistic. The Industrial Revolution changed fashion. Automation in spinning and weaving and advances in dyes and fabric printing resulted in cheaper and more affordable textiles. A wonderful c. 1919 Liberty & Co. olive green silk chiffon afternoon dress that is described in the show as having a soft color aesthetic for the upper middle class-- a distinction from the brighter, more vulgar colors of the lower class.
Even though technology made finery more affordable, Steele says that Americans are ambivalent about fashion, mostly because of our Puritan heritage. “We are split historically,” she said. “The Puritan approach is that clothing is necessary for modesty but fashion is dangerous, wasteful and extreme. This has been reinforced for a long time. Thoreau said ‘beware of any occasion that requires new clothes.’”
Steele said the Italian idea of bella figura, of putting your best foot forward, contrasts sharply with the Protestant philosophy that clothes should mirror the inner soul—and you shouldn’t try to be any better than you are. “Also, since we are a republic/democracy, fashion is also an elitist problem.” The exhibition ends with a display of '07 black stretch Acne Jeans. Not possessing the outward displays of ostentation or luxury, their status depends simply on just being able to recognize them.
Steele’s upcoming book, The Black Dress, will unfortunately not have an accompanying exhibit. But she is quick to run down the upcoming exhibits for the museum: starting in October with Chic Chicago, in November a 250 year look at Exoticism, in February a Madame Gris retrospective and in the fall of 2008, Gothic. “It’s a dark, glamorous show,” she said. “With lots of black.”
Black is a chic, bohemian, rebellious, and erotic color. While black is the preferred color by stylish women in New York and London, it's not so prevalent in other cities. “Black is right for New York because it is an intense, highly competitive place. It is perfect for a sexy, sophisticated avant guard culture. In other cities, like Los Angeles or Dallas, there is a different quality of light. Different cultures favor stereotypes where women wear more feminine, lighter and more glowing colors.”
Steele is noted for wearing black almost exclusively, saying “It’s the most complicated non-color, the most interesting.” When explaining how powerful black can be, she alluded to the movie Reservoir Dogs. One of the characters asks, “Why can’t we choose our own color? The answer: Then you get four guys who all want to be Mr. Black.—Sherry Mazzocchi
The Museum at FIT
Fashion Institute of Technology
10am-5pm
New York City 10001-5992
Admission is free
top photo: courtesy The Museum at FIT
middle photo: AP/Annie Leibovitz
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