Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

I've never fancied myself an Alexander McQueen fan but after viewing the new Savage Beauty exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art honoring the late designer, I will be one for life. It is one of the best Costume Institute shows that I have ever seen.  Harold Koda and Andrew Bolton have not only assembled a gorgeous collection of clothing but have created a venue that perfectly complement their often eccentric designs. “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind” was a Shakespeeare quote that Alexander McQueen had inked on his arm that was the inspiration for the show. Andrew Bolton explained that in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the line is said by Helena, someone who believed that love could transform something grotesque into something beautiful, a theme you see in much of McQueen's work.

New York Times fashion critic commented after viewing the Alexander McQueen exhibit that "what I couldn't get over was that he had done all this work by the time he was 40."  It's clear that his apprenticeships with Savile Row tailors and his education at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design served as an amazing training ground.  He is quoted in the show as saying, "I spent a lot of time learning how to construct clothes, which is important to do before you can deconstruct them."

Alexander McQueen committed suicide right before New York fashion week in 2010 and there is haunting quality of death in much of his work and even the exhibition catalog cover. "The Victorian era greatly influenced me: the austerity, the severity, the melancholy," he said. Many people at the preview were moved to tears and the show is a very moving tribute to this incredibly gifted designer.  His friend Stella McCartney who spoke at the preview said, "When you see the show, you remember all of them instantly. You're surprised by the amount of incredible shows that he had." We can only image what he might have done had he not left the world of fashion so early but Savage Beauty is wonderful tribute and definitely worth a visit.

Look who else was at the preview! It's Bill Cunningham!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic except #1 courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Extending the Runway: Tatiana Sorokko Style

Extending the Runway: Tatiana Sorokko Style an inspiring and historically import fashion exhibition drawn from the private wardrobe and couture collection of international model Tatiana Sorokko makes its U.S. debut, September 16 at Phoenix Art Museum. Spanning the 20th century through, the exhibition is an engaging look at works by legendary designers and fashion houses such as Jean Paul Gaultier, James Galanos, Ralph Rucci and Vivienne Westwood.

Tatiana Sorokko was among the first Russian models to achieve international success after Perestroika. Moving from Moscow to Paris in 1990, she walked the runways for major designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Hubert de Givenchy, Karl Lagerfeld, Miuccia Prada, Issey Miyake, Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs and Calvin Klein. For over a decade, Sorokko graced the covers and editorial pages of European and American magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Elle and Cosmopolitan. Her influence as an international style setter and taste maker extends well beyond the runway; Sorokko was named to the International Top 100 Best Dressed list by American Vogue in 2000 and the Best Dressed Women of All Time list by Harper's Bazaar in 2007.

Extending the Runway is a celebration of Sorokko's international fashion career, her trendsetting vision and unique style. The installation encompasses two Museum galleries and features 60 garments and accessories by Balenciaga, Balmain, Comme des Garcons, Fortuny, Ferre, Halston, Hermes, Madame Gres, Patou, Paquin, Ungaro and Yamamoto, among others

 

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