Fashion-forward versus the Timelessness of art- Fashion Design, the Canon, and the Art Design.

Fashion-forward versus the Timelessness of art- Fashion Design, the Canon, and the Art Design.

    Museums are known for their efforts to preserve how historical artifacts that are useful to our generation and the generations to come. Metropolitan Museum, meant for art, is casually known as the Met museum. It is the largest museum art museum located in New York City found in the United States. The museum also has the highest number of visitors, both local and international visitors. Considering the number of visitors In 2018, the museum was the third in the world. The museum contains around two million works of art. The fashion institute of technology is commonly known as the FIT museum. It is known to be the largest and the most famous museum in New York City.

Fashion comes in the subject to consumer needs. Either older adults or younger generations can utilize some trends. Patterns can also be categorized in terms of gender, either meant for males or females. Some fashions also change subject to time, but others may last depending on consumer needs. The coming generations require information on the kind of former way before, including this helps in preserving our culture. This can only be achieved through the establishment of museums.

In this research, the expected to select two garments; one from the metropolitan museum and the other one from either FIT museum or Museum of Arts and Design (MAD). The two garments that I chose will shed light on how contemporary art was, consumerism, and the time that the technique was in the market. We will also focus on the cultural theme. In my research, I have chosen to study on metropolitan museum commonly known as the met museum taking into the picture the Sandy Schreier collection based on its sense of fashion. I have also chosen the FIT museum collections to take into consideration based on culture. I will use the garments from Sandy Schreier collection, whose main agenda is fashion found in the metropolitan museum and the denim show, which is one of the shows in the exhibition category found in a fashion institute of technology(FIT). In both groups, I will use garments. The reason behind this decision is that fashion in terms of garment changes rapidly, but some can be in style even after the emergence of other new trends. Garments also act as a representation and preservation of our culture.

Denim material is used in making blue jeans. However, many people do not know that denim has been used to make leisure clothing from the twentieth century to modern-day culture, which means that denim has never lost the sense of fashion. This garment can be worn by any person, be it old or young. The reason behind this is that this type of clothing can be customized and tailored according to consumer needs. The function taken by denim has historically is captured in the frontier of fashions found in the fashion institute of technology—denim clothing featured in figure 1.0 below.

Denim is said to arrive in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century. Denim has exhibited various designs since its introduction in the garment industry. It is also known to make the most popular type of garments. Denim has been used in the production of unexpected kinds of models. Denim covers lesser-known themes like the position in the fashion industry and its ability to be customized according to the taste of the customer. Denim includes cultural tie-ins and denim pieces, which are Levi Strauss & Co. 507, which are jackets made from jeans. This kind of design was introduced in 1950 and still rocks to date. Patched jeans, which are also known to be unfinished casually, was launched in 1960. The introduction of safety jeans occurred in 1970. It is clearly showing that denim has a development history. Denim is customized into any size and the type of clothing that one may need.

The jeans dress which was used in the exhibition is known as Comme des Garcons. The suit was customized and designed by Junya Watanabe. It was chosen as the most to represent the denim fashion in the fashion show held in the fashion institute of technology. This garment depicted denim as a versatile kind of clothing. Emma McClendon, who is the curator of the show and the assistant curator of the fashion institute of the technology described the dress of being versatile in that it can be customized and be fit to be used on many distinct occasions. Pre-worn jeans made the dress. The suit was created using the seams from the pants, which mimic the body boning. This garment represents the ability of clothing meant for work to transform into some sort of fashion.

Denim clothes meant for playing like the beach clothing was trendy in the 1930s to 1940s.In this show, some women who are known to be fashionable are featured wearing jeans. These women are from WWI, which were entirely made from denim with an imitation of the gaming denim designs like the ones used for sailing and golfing. These were considered expensive jeans, and their price is high due to the value that people attach to these denim clothing. For instance, some jeans from Sara’s brand was customized by adding full silk lining in the 1970s. Gucci jeans were customized by adding feathers and some beading in the edges. This was done in the year 1999, and a pair of Gucci jeans retailed at $3800. The blending of denim adds more value as seen in these examples.

The longevity of denim fashion is portrayed in the show. Many exhibitors revisit the designs and styles that were there from 1970s denim jeans being one of the most exhibited garment, although it comes in different designs. McClendon did research and noted that denim was essential in the 1970s. Still, it is rated as the most preferred garment by many people until it is now the most favored type of official and casual clothing, depending on the occasion. It is indicating that denim has and will be in fashion for so many years. Its consumerism levels are also high.

Culturally, denim clothing might not be the most preferred though many youths like clothing. Acceptance of denim culturally may depend on the garment is designed, including the way it is worn. Denim politics are highlighted in many exhibitions, but also in this show, the politics have been highlighted. The denim designs made from 1990 onwards concentrate on sagging styles that are associated with gangsters and the prison culture. McClendon points out that some fashion styles have been banned in the United States and may attract a fine of up to 500 dollars.

Denim has also impacted the environment negatively. Denim poses a threat to our environment due to soil and air pollution. However, the fashion industry has to try various ways to make it more sustainable to the environment. Denim consumes a lot of water when washing it. It is not viable since one feature of a garment to qualify to be fashionable is its reliability, and efficiency.trearments such as sandblasting, explicitly done for denim wear is also not environment friendly and to the workers’ health.

I have been able to show both the positive and negative sides of denim garment. The illustration is done in the show. The cost of denim is pocket friendly and the undefeatable designs that this garment has. Due to its ability to be adapted in every fashion, the longevity of this clothe feels comfortable. It is challenging to find denim clothe dumped after being abandoned. The clothing can be utilized to make other useful items like bags and shoes, which are still fashionable.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, commonly known as the met museum, is one of the best museums in the world. Sandy Schreier’s collection is also found in the met museum.  In pursuit of the fashion show is usually hosted by the fashion house. Sandy Schreier is one of the most fashionable and valuable collections known in the entire world. Many people in the fashion field are familiar with sandy Schreier fashion, and their famous exhibition knows as in pursuit of style. Sandy is said to be one of the generous persons since she is used to donating some fashionable clothes to the metropolitan museum once in a while without forgetting the promise that she made. The sign is to give a total of one hundred and fifty garments to the metropolitan museum to act as a gift to them and for historic preservation. Sandy developed a passion for the fashion industry while she was a young girl, and the motivation from her father kept her going. She also received unlimited support from her late husband, whose career involved a lot of trips. Sandy found a chance to travel together with him. She used to contact the museums in the locality that they were to go and be able to donate some garments and accessories, enabling her to grow her fashion industry and impacted it positively by making it very popular.

American dress is one of the garments found in Sandy Schreier fashions. In the mid of nineteenth-century women were allowed to take part in sporting activities that were restricted there before. The clothing was worn, but restriction remained that the women were expected to wear foundation garments like corsets and the bustle. The limitation was there to wear those foundation clothing due to the fragile nature of the women’s body. The garment would be worn for various sporting activities like table tennis and yachting and also in beach sporting activities. Stripped clothing viewed as perfect for these sporting activities. Figure 2.0 below shows the striped dress, which is very rare in museums. The striped dresses are of different heights depending on the preference of the consumer.

The dress was introduced in the 1860s though it became popular in the mid of eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  Some modification was made in the suit by adding some extra bumps during the first quarter of the nineteenth century. This well-made silhouette dress was made available in the 1860s, which was like a skirt moving from the front part to the back. The garment could now be worn either as a dress or a skirt as one would desire to exhibit the theme of versatility in that this clothing could be customized according to the consumer taste. Ties were also made specifically for this dress. The outlook was beautiful.

The designer dress was later typeset and modified by adding different things like horsehair, which made it more expensive and rare to find. They also added metal hoops to the dress. Styles during this period were sought from historical inspiration and covered in types of lace and trim styles. The garment enhanced its commercialization period, and many people like it.

In terms of longevity in the market, the dress did not last for an extended period. The suit continued in 1888. Despite its lack of stay in the fashion period, the material used in making the dress was good, and this enhanced its environmental friendliness. The suit was made from cotton and silk material. The content is to date loved by many people due to its resistance to tearing. In terms of water consumption, the dress did not consume a lot of water hence leading to environment conservation. The multi-purpose use of the dress was also an impacting factor. The suit could be used on various occasions like dinner purposes and other general-purpose use. The theme of culture is exhibited when the dress is used in gaming by women but are expected to have a foundation garment.

In conclusion, the fashion industry can be compared with the evolution of culture. Fashions keep on changing, but some of the trends like denim can thrive. Denim garment has exposed the theme of perception. Denim has been associated with gangs and prisoners in some countries, but most people have been able to embrace them positively. The theme has also been exposing by the American dress in which culturally the garment is used for the spotting activities. The theme of the permanence of fashions has also been enlightened in this essay like the denim dominance in fashion industry for the long time period.

References

Abrego, S. (2016). Denim: Fashion’s Frontier.

Beltran-Rubio, L. (2020). Denim: Fashion’s Frontier. Fashion Theory, 24(1), 103-112.

Barnard, M. (2017). Fashion theory: A reader. Routledge.

Cahan, S. E. (2016). Mounting frustration: The art museum in the age of Black Power. Duke University Press.

Galitz, K. C. (2016). The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Masterpiece Paintings. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Wood, E. (2016). Displaying Dress: New Methodologies for Historical Collections (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Manchester (United Kingdom)).

Illustration

Figure 1.0

Figure 1.2

Date: 1886-88

Culture: American

Medium: Cotton and silk