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Gothic:
Dark Glamour
The Exhibition:
The
first New York exhibition devoted entirely to the Gothic
style in fashion. Set in a dramatic mise-en-scene suggesting
iconic gothic settings, such as the labyrinth, the ruined
castle, and the laboratory, more than 75 ensembles will
be on display. Fashion designers featured include Alexander
McQueen, Ann Demeulemeester, Boudicca, Comme des Garçons,
Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel Haute Couture, John Galliano for
Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Hussein Chalayan, Francisco
Costa for Calvin Klein, Christian Lacroix, Derek Lam, Gareth
Pugh, Kei Kagami, Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy, Thierry Mugler,
Rick Owens, Rodarte, Anna Sui, Olivier Theyskens, Jun Takahashi
of Undercover, and Yohji Yamamoto.
Also
on display will be a range of subcultural styles, such as
“old-school goth” (associated with the heyday of the goth
subculture, 1979-83), Victorian-style goth, industrial,
steam punk, and cyber-goth, by designers such as Kambriel,
Morphius and Plastik Wrap, as well as Japanese Elegant Gothic
Lolitas by Tokyo-based brands Moi-Même-Moité and h.Naoto
Blood.
“Although
popularly identified with black-clad teenagers and rock
musicians, the gothic has also been an important theme in
contemporary fashion,” said Dr. Valerie Steele, director
of The Museum at FIT and curator of this exhibition.
"Gothic"
is an epithet that evokes images of death, destruction,
and decay. Not simply a word that describes something, such
as a Gothic cathedral, it is almost always a term of abuse
that implies the dark, barbarous, and gloomy. Such negative
connotations have made the gothic an ideal symbol of rebellion
for a wide range of cultural outsiders.
From
its origins in 18th century gothic literature of terror
to its contemporary manifestations in vampire literature
and cinema, the gothic has embraced the powers of horror
and the erotic macabre. Throughout its history, fashion
has been central to our vision of the gothic.
The
Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) presents
Gothic: Dark Glamour, the first exhibition devoted to the
gothic in fashion, from September 5, 2008 through February
21, 2009.
Director and Chief Curator: Dr.
Valerie Steele
Art Director: Simon Costin
Exhibition Manager: Fred Dennis
Exhibition Designer: Charles B. Froom
Graphic Designer: Angela Middleton
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LOCATION
& Directions:
FIT
is located at Seventh Avenue at 27 Street. New York City
10001-5992.
The
museum can be reached by subway: 1, 9, C, E, F, V, N, or
R, and by bus: M10.
Penn
Station is close by at 31st Street for the Long Island Railroad,
New Jersey Transit, and Amtrak.
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