Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion – Review of The Met's Exhibition
To step inside The Costume Institute’s new spring exhibition is to step inside a garment, becoming not just its wearer but a component of its overall makeup. Being a passive observer in ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ is not an option.
Exploring Fragrances and Fashion
When Andrew Bolton, head curator of The Costume Institute, thanked his colleagues for willingly helping him explore and replicate the smell molecules of garments from their permanent collection during his opening remarks for the 2024 “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” exhibition, I was intrigued. Initially, I thought the aromas – probably musty, moldy, or sour – were being examined for their own experimental interest. It never occurred to me that these fragrances would be pumped through plastic tubes, scaling the edges of covered casings, and filling the bottoms of round beakers in sections of the exhibit to emulate a scent that was purposefully placed by the designer.
Inside the Tisch Galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, an interactive test lab is set, enlivening 250 garments while simultaneously powering an experience far beyond that of a normal exhibit. Under the advisory of Bolton and his team, and in partnership with Open AI, a multi-sensory adventure catapults guests into active roles, revelling in the revival of garments, even those that can never be worn again, through their very fibers.
Embracing Fashion's Evolution
The carefully crafted sensory components – scent, feel, and sound – are revealed in tandem with motifs that fall under three natural landscapes: earth, air, and water. From the hand-painted silk Robe à l’anglaise to the 3D-printing used to suspend pink roses in a terrarium-esque dress skirt by Jun Takahasi for Undercover’s spring/summer 2024 collection, centuries of irrevocable designs and their subsequent techniques are featured. The exhibit pushes conversations about environmental preservation with historical context on how the industry has responded.
A Living Art Experience
To step inside The Costume Institute’s new spring exhibition is to step inside a garment, becoming not just its wearer but a component of its overall makeup. We often forget our inherent ability to bring a piece of clothing to life, losing sight of how a piece shapes more than just our bodies but our personas too. While the innovative additives allow visitors to build an intimate connection that usually only comes when we wear a piece of clothing, each design still feels alive even stationary on its form. Fashion is living art.
Experience the exquisite blend of history, innovation, and sensory exploration at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition.
