The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY is exhibiting works by a diverse group of American designers
who are not widely known or who are still young.
Their designs are from the last two years.
This is as part of a review of American fashion design since 1940;
and is an attempt to widen the showcase to designers who are not the white men whose work forms the bulk of the Met’s own collection.
“Tyson Beckford” sweater, 2021, polychrome wool intarsia knit.
Loaned by Denim Tears, American founded 2019, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021. Tremaine Emory, American born 1981.
The flag is a version of the David Hammons’ ‘African American Flag’ and the sweater is based on one by Ralph Lauren.
These designs are as diverse as the backgrounds of the designers.
An emphasis on comfort rather than elegance;
very little interest in fabric which is ‘natural’ or which has been repurposed
very little in the way of embellishment of any kind
little interest in colour
and, overall, not very exciting, in my view, for those of us who love textiles.
I did like the idea and execution of these by Olivia Cheng:
the designer, self-taught, encased dried flowers in non-toxic resin discs or pressed them between layers of silk organza. The flowers themselves come from the garden of her parents or from local farmers.
Ensembles, 2020 through 2022; tunic of pressed polychrome daisies and pansies, clear resin, and stainless steel. Dress of pressed polychrome daisies and pansies, clear resin and stainless steel. Body suit of white cotton synthetic jersey’ white silk organza, polychrome daisies and pansies and clear PVC.
Loaned by Dauphinette to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021. Olivia Cheng, American born 1998.
And I thought this dress, worn by a young woman whose soft vowels gave away her Canadian origin,
showed more gumption than almost everything on show:
This dress is made of four repurposed pieces of fabric and a fringe ordinarily used for curtains or lampshades.
The sleeves were of uneven length, one side lengthened by a piece of transparent gauze which, when you saw it, made you smile.
The dress was made and sold by a young woman working in Brooklyn, NY.
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Ensemble, autumn-winter 2019/20; top of black cotton spandex jersey; trousers of black leather pieced with gold metal and red cotton twill zipper.
Loaned by NIHL, American founded 2017, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2021. Neil Grotzinger, American born 1991
Ensemble, spring/summer 2021 menswear. Coat of gray cashmere broadcloth; jacket of gray wool tweed, sweatshirt of gray cotton knit flocked with black synthetic velvet, sweatshirt and sweatpants of gray cotton knit.
Fear of God, American founded 2013, loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2021. Jerry Lorenzo, American born 1977
Ensemble, 2020, blue cotton denim embroidered with white cotton thread.
Loaned by Denim Tears, American founded 2019, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021. Tremaine Emory, American born 1981. Levi Strauss And Company, American founded 1853
Ensemble, autumn/winter 2021/2022, menswear; patchwork quilted polychrome cotton plain weave.
Stan, American founded 2020. Loaned by Tristan Detwiler, American born 1997 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2021
Ensemble, autumn/winter 2020/2021, sweater, cardigan and scarf of ivory cashmere knit; trousers of ivory silk-cashmere knit.
The Row, American founded 2006, loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021. Mary Kate and Ashley Olson, American born 1986
Ensemble, autumn/winter 2021/22; tunic of polychrome brushed wool jersey and quilted gray cotton jersey trimmed with gray cotton ribbed knit; scarf of polychrome and yellow brushed wool jersey trimmed with gray cotton knit.
Loaned by A. Potts, American founded 2018, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021. Aaron Potts, American born 1972
Ensemble, autumn/winter 2021/22, camel wool-camel hair knit.
Altuzarra, American founded 2008, loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2021. Joseph Altuzarra, French-American born 1983
Ensemble, autumn/winter 2021/22; ruana of polychrome cashmere knit; turtleneck of ivory cashmere knit; shirt of ivory wool crepe; trousers of ivory wool Ponte de Roma knit.
Loaned by Gabriela Hearst, Uruguayan born 1978, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2021
Dress, autumn winter 2021/22, olive wool-synthetic-elastane knit.
Proenza Schouler, American, founded 2002, loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, both American born 1978
Erl, autumn/winter 2021/22; jersey of light gray cotton twill appliqueed with red cotton grosgrain; shirt of white cotton knit, shorts of gray nylon plain weave, pants of gray cotton knit.
ERL, American founded 2018, loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2021. Eli Russell Linnetz, American born 1990
Boa, spring/summer 2021; white synthetic tulle, pink synthetic knit and white synthetic lace.
Loaned by Vaquera, American founded 2016, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021. Patrick DiCaprio, American born 1990; Bryn Taubensee, American born 1989 and Claire Sullivan, American born 1993
“The 9-5 Working Girl” ensemble, autumn/winter 2021-22, polychrome felted wool.
Loaned by Connor Ives, American born 1996, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021
“Cascade” ensemble, winter 2021; jacket and coat of polychrome wool broadcloth.
Korina Emmerich, Puyallup born 1985. Loaned by Emme Studio to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021
Ensemble, autumn/winter 2021/22; polychrome leather.
Loaned by SC103, American founded 2019, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021. Claire McKinney, American
Ensemble, 2021; jacket of blue and white cotton matelasse; trousers of blue cotton denim patched with white cotton lace and beige and white synthetic chiffon and embroidered with clear crystals.
Loaned by Who Decides War, American founded 2015, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021. Everard Best American born 1993
Ensemble, spring/summer 2021; off-white linen plain weave appliqued with polychrome cotton plain weave and embroidered with polychrome cotton thread.
Loaned by Kidsuper, American founded 2011, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. Colm Dillane, American born 1991
Dress, 2021, polychrome wax block printed plain weave.
Loaned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY in 2021 by Lavie by Claude Kameni, founded 2013. Claude Kameni, Cameroonian born 1994