Core77

MoMA's "Is Fashion Modern?" Examines History's Most Quintessential Clothing Items

By Core Jr - September 29, 2017

The entrance of the show is decorated with the different cultural fashion items examined within the exhibition. 1 of 49

"Le Smoking" "Le Smoking" is a women's tuxedo designed by Yves Saint Laurent in 1967, worn famously by singer Francoise Hardy. It was one of the first suits for women considered as evening couture and was disregarded by many at the time it was designed. 2 of 49

Little Black Dresses "Is Fashion Modern?" featured a physical timeline of 'little black dresses', tracking its evolution from the early 20st century to today. According to MoMA, the concept of the little black dress originated in 1926 when Vogue featured a sketch of a crepe-de-chine dress by Coco Chanel with the caption "The Chanel 'Ford'—the frock that all the world will wear," a reference to Ford's quote about his Model T Car ("Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants, so long as it is black"). 3 of 49

The dress on the left, designed in 2013 by Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg of Nervous System, is completely 3D printed out of laser-sintered nylon. 4 of 49

"Little Black (Death)" The end of the little black dress timeline is this "Little Black (Death) Dress" designed by Pia Interlandi. The dress, created for the grave, uses a fabric that is responsive to body heat that is meant to highlight the hands of grieving loved ones with a surreal glow. 5 of 49

Undergarments Two wonders of the twentieth century: briefs and the Wonderbra. The brief was invented in 1935 was one of the first of its kind to feature a Y-front opening, making it "hygienic and modern". Decades later, Calvin Klein would make his name synonymous with the everyday item with his Times Square ad campaign of Olympian pole-vaulter Tom Hintnaus wearing his "Calvins". 6 of 49

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Margiela tabi Boot Maison Martin Margiela's now famous tabi boot was on display, a piece of footwear inspired by the classic split-toe Japanese tabi sock. He apparently "wanted to create an 'invisible' shoe, the illusion of a bare foot walking on a high, chunky heel". 10 of 49

Platform Shoes The wide array of platform shoes in the exhibition reached new heights. A particular standout was a pair of mega-platform red and black Buffalo sneakers. 11 of 49

Ancient Platform Shoes Two ancient examples of platform shoes, dating back to the 1500s and earlier. Depending on where you found them in history, the shoes were often used for either status, added height, or simply to avoid unsanitary streets. 12 of 49

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"God Save the Queen" Vivienne Westwood's well-known "God Save the Queen" t-shirt is not on display for its graphic design, but the adornment on the Queen's nose: the humble safety pin. Created in 1849 by inventor Walter Hunt, the safety pin began as a utilitarian item and in the 70s became a punk anti-fashion status symbol. Safety pins were often used at this time to hold together ripped clothes or were worn as jewelry. 15 of 49

The Beret The beret, appears to have been a political statement for quite some time; often part of Spanish and French military uniforms in the nineteenth century, the beret was re-appropriated in the 60s by the Beat generation as well as revolutionaries like Che Guevara and the Black Panthers. 16 of 49

Ski Mask Anyone know where the ski mask originated? Its birth goes as far back as medieval times when it was used as a head covering for knights, but got its modern name, the balaclava, from Balaklava in Crimea, where families would send knitted garments of this kind to troops during the Crimean War. 17 of 49

Doc Marten Boots A honeycomb shaped orthopedic sole was designed by German doctors Klaus Märtens and Herbert Funck in 1947, and the technology was later exclusively acquired in 1959 by bootmaker R. Griggs Company. They decided to apply this technology to a black leather boot, which was later named the "Doc Marten". It was embraced by low-income workers for its affordability as well as its orthopedic comfort, and later found itself as a staple item in various subcultures. 18 of 49

Aviator Frames The aviator frame was inspired by a pair of goggles designed after Major Rudolph William "shorty Schroeder injured his eye during a flight in 1920; the goggles were intended to "mitigate both frost formation and sunlight". The Ray-Ban Aviator, created in 1938, were an ode to those goggle's silhouette. 19 of 49

Baseball caps are a modern, more lightweight and wearable response to the original straw boaters worn by baseball teams in the 1800s. 20 of 49

"A-Poc Queen" This piece called "A-Poc Queen", designed by Issey Miyake and Dai Fujiwara in 1997. The piece is a textile generated from a single thread by a computer-assisted industrial knitting machine. According to MoMA, "the customer can cut along the seams without destroying the tubular structure of each individual item, and virtually no material is wasted in the process of creating." 21 of 49

Adidas Superstars The Adidas Superstars were designed originally in 1969 for basketball players as an updated to their failed 1963 "Supergrip" mode. By 1970 it was beloved by star basketball players and when it went out of fashion on the court, it solidified later as the footwear of choice for Run DMC and New York's breakdancing community. 22 of 49

The Jumpsuit The jumpsuit, originally seen in the mid-1800s as an underwear item has seen many uses and variations. Culturally, it was featured heavily in the 1970s as a space-age garment, worn in discos, in glamorous city settings and music videos featuring icons like David Bowie. 23 of 49

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Fleece Jackets As with many common objects, what was once an exciting materials discovery is now a well-known component of its industry. So was the case with fleece, a synthetic material made from PET strands derived from plastic bottles. As soon as fleece was debuted as an outerwear material through a collaboration between fleece creators Malden Mills and Patagonia, the breathable, durable and machine washable fabric became commonplace in athleisure clothing. 26 of 49

The exhibition is neatly displayed, some objects out in the open begging to be touched—sadly, this is not an option—and others behind display cases. 27 of 49

The Shift Dress The traditional shift dress took on a new form during WWII. Due to rationing restrictions, the minimal style of dress went from knee or ankle length to above the knee. After some good ol' promotion on Vogue's end, the shift dress became and remains a flattering option for women of almost any shape. The shift dress offers a flat blank canvas, which allowed for plenty of material experimentation, from Lily Pulitzer's graphic printing to Harry Gordon's poster dress. 28 of 49

Qipao The qipao, once called cheongsam, is characterized by its fitted cut, standing collar, asymmetrical closure and side slits. After 1949 when the Communist party governed China, the cheongsam was dismissed, but it remained an everyday clothing item in Hong Kong and Taiwan. 29 of 49

"Optic Slip Dress" Richard Nicoll and Studio XO's glowing "Optic Slip Dress" was originally created with fiber-optic fabric in 2015. Nicoll unexpectedly since then, so Studio XO was tasked to recreate the jellyfish-like dress for Is Fashion Modern?. 30 of 49

"Burkini" The exhibition features a wide array of swimwear. Our favorite is the burkini (left), a hybrid between a burqa and a bikini. The garment was designed to encourage muslim women to participate in water activities and has become widely popular since designer Aheda Zanetti designed it in the early 2000s. 31 of 49

Air Force 1 Nike's infamous Air Force 1 basketball shoe was initially cancelled after its first run. However, in 1985, Baltimore retailers Downtown Locker Room, Cinderella Shoes and Charley Rudo Sports convinced Nike to bring the sneaker back. Thus the "Color of the Month Club" was born, and today the Air Force 1 still remains a frequently purchased classic. 32 of 49

Zoa Biofabricated Leather This t-shirt is made in part with Modern Meadow's new Zoa biofabricated leather. The leather is produced by engineering yeast to produce collagen. The result is a liquid substance that can be applied almost any way you can think of—including painted and sprayed—and that adheres to just about any surface. Looks like the future of leather lies in a lab! 33 of 49

Monograms The earliest form of monograms were actually royal seals and family crests. In the early 19th century, monograms took a retail turn thanks to garment labeling practices in Paris. While now marketed as design, monograms are actually meant to reinforce quality and name recognition. 34 of 49

"Dapper Dan" Harlem retailer "Dapper Dan" became infamous for silkscreening luxury logos onto his own leather when high-end retailers refused to stock his store. Funny enough, those same high-end retailers quickly noticed his success and started designing garments with the "Dapper Dan" aesthetic. 35 of 49

Prada Backpack This 1980s Prada backpack was inspired by military uniforms. 36 of 49

Tracksuits The tracksuit, dating back to the early 20th century, has and always will be a symbol of athleisure. Traditionally worn during athletic warm-ups and cool-downs, the typically monochromatic outfits are now worn casually in the home or out and about. 37 of 49

Chuck Taylor All Stars The first pair of Converse All Stars were debuted in 1917 as a basketball shoe. Soon after, amateur basketball player Chuck Taylor became a sales ambassador for the sneaker, and the rest was history. 38 of 49

Michael Jordan Bulls Jersey Another classic piece of basketball paraphernalia: Michael Jordan's Chicago Bull's jersey, produced by Philadelphia-based sportswear manufacturer Mitchell & Ness. 39 of 49

Unmade Digitally Altered Sweaters Fashion Technology Unmade puts design in the consumer's hands by letting them digitally alter patterns to then be custom-knit into their very own hands. The company's hope is that by owning a more personal garment, consumers will become more attached and hold onto their clothing longer. 40 of 49

Armani Suits Giorgio Armani is most known for both keeping it classic and pushing the boundaries of men's tailoring. What many people don't realize is that Armani did just as much for women's suiting as he did for men's—if not more. Armani's feminine, bold suits became a powerful companion to women in the workplace, supporting them in their fight for equality in the working world. 41 of 49

Warriors of Downpour Anne van Galen's Warriors of Downpour Head and Shoulder pieces imagine a future filled with rainfall. In the imagined scenario, our posture will change due to wind and fog and condensation will get trapped in layers of clothing, forcing us to take a transparent, more structured approach to clothing. 42 of 49

Khaki Khaki has strong military roots—first starting with the British army stationed in India and later officially adopted by the British military in 1885. Then, in 1898, the U.S. followed suit, adopting the term "Chino" referring to the Chinese origins of the pants' manufacturing. Levi's didn't capitalize on the trend until the 1990s when the pants became "business casual." 43 of 49

Levi's Pants Khaki has strong military roots—first starting with the British army stationed in India and later officially adopted by the British military in 1885. Then, in 1898, the U.S. followed suit, adopting the term "Chino" referring to the Chinese origins of the pants' manufacturing. Levi's didn't capitalize on the trend until the 1990s when the pants became "business casual." 44 of 49

MagnaReady Button-Down Shirt The button-down shirt on the left may look like any other button-down, but its buttons are really magnets, designed by Maura Horton for her husband when he developed Parkinson's disease. 45 of 49

Levi's 501 Jean The magic in Levi's classic 501 jean lies in the copper rivets. Patented by Levi Strauss and Jacob W. Davis in 1873, the rivets allowed the company to create a functional jean that would later turn into a glamorized fashion staple. 46 of 49

The end of the exhibition features massive white walls covered in an extensive fashion timeline, putting many objects seen in the exhibition further into context. 47 of 49

The end of the exhibition features massive white walls covered in an extensive fashion timeline, putting many objects seen in the exhibition further into context. 48 of 49

The end of the exhibition features massive white walls covered in an extensive fashion timeline, putting many objects seen in the exhibition further into context. 49 of 49

Is Fashion Modern?, a new exhibit at MoMA organized by Senior Curator Paola Antonelli and her all-female team of curators, is as much a celebration of fashion and design as it is an extensive history lesson. Leaving no rock unturned, the show investigates many of the everyday fashion items that make up our wardrobes, taking a historical, cultural, or even political lens to each one. Fashion can often feel innovative, but how far do some of these concepts stem back? How are modern designers reinterpreting these items by incorporating new techniques and technologies to progress the field further?

Many of these questions are contrasted and explored with examples from present and past, demonstrating how some trends have dramatically shifted while others remain. With a dedicated concentration to both backstory, technical detail and culture, it's easy to say that Is Fashion Modern? is a worthy visit for artists, designers and history buffs alike.