models as the muse....

I finally made it to The Metropolitan Museum of Art for The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion exhibit. "The exhibit examines a time line of fashion from 1947 to 1997 through the idealized aesthetic of the fashion model," said Harold Koda, Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute. "We look at the power of clothing, fashion photography, and the model to project the look of an era. With a mere gesture, a truly stellar model can sum up the attitude of her time – becoming not only a muse to designers or photographers, but a muse to a generation." Sorry the pics are so bad but I was trying to be on they sly because they were not allowing photographs!!! Think of this as some investigative reporting because I just had to share these with you!

The first room was filled with Haute Couture creations from Christian Dior and Charles James. I hold a very special place in my heart for Charles!!! During these times model agencies were pushing the envelope to find girls with personalities and distinctive identities. Before this, most models were high society women who were known for their status. Models with a real look were on the rise such as Lisa Fonssagrives, Dovima, Suzy Parker, Sunny Harnett, and Dorian Leigh who personified this Golden Age of Haute Couture. Photographers such as Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, and Cecil Beaton portrayed the new ideal of feminine artifice.

Now we are getting groovy baby! Stepping into the sixties with ensembles from Paco Rabanne, Pierre Cardin, and Rudi Gernreich, designers who heralded the transformation from a sophisticated to a youthful ideal with Jean Shrimpton, Peggy Moffitt, Veruschka, and Twiggy. The curator did an amazing job making you feel like you were part of the times. Each room perfectly exemplified its era.

The next gallery focuses on the 1970s, when athletic, All-American models such as Lisa Taylor and Jerry Hall enlivened the simple, unstructured goddess dresses of Halston, and an emerging group of ethnic beauties like Mounia and Kirat presented the haute bohemian looks of Yves Saint Laurent.

Time to get your 80's on.. Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Christy Turlington emerged as the "Trinity" appearing in global campaigns for designer brands seeking to bolster their identities. These models could morph into a different persona at each photo shoot, and still manage to convey their priceless, individual distinction.

By the 1990s, grunge and street style led to a radical shift from glamorous beauty to the rebel chic of Kate Moss. This room was my favorite. With Nirvana pumping through the speakers and the walls covered with Stephen Sprouse-like graffiti. I couldn't get a picture but there was a homage to the Richard Prince and Marc Jacobs collaboration of masked, anonymous nurses (Stephanie Seymour and Natalia Vodianova) in Louis Vuitton.

This exhibit depicting John Galliano's 2007 supermodel-fueled runway show in Versailles for the 60th anniversary of Christian Dior was superb... love the hanging mannequins.

If you will be in NYC anytime between now and August 9th I highly recommend checking out this exhibit.