[Images via blog.metmuseum.org]
Pictures will never do the magnitude, ambiance, scenery, and of course, clothing, justice from the exhibit “Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty ” on the second floor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Due to travel and being sick, I made it to the exhibit about nine days later than I had planned, but since the exhibit runs until July 31t, that gives you plenty of time to make arrangements to come see it. You may know little or nothing about the late Lee Alexander McQueen, may have recognized those armadillo shoes from the Lady Gaga video “Bad Romance”, or your curiosity may be piqued by current Creative Director Sarah Burton, as she designed the royal wedding dress. Forgot all of that. It really doesn’t matter, and will only hinder your experience and thoughts.
Instead, here are the reasons why you should make it a must to see “Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty”:
1) There is a wait time, with signs all over The Met, for the exhibit. Like at Disney World. The last time I saw something like this there, it was years ago, at The Leonardo DaVinci drawings exhibit
2) McQueen was, and always will be, on a plane on his own when it comes to intense genius that rivaled both his avant-garde thinking, as well as his skill at execution when it came to construction. Keep this in mind as you view.
3) This exhibit will surely influence future established designers, budding ones, and the visitor’s understanding when it comes to couture.
4)The headgear, designed by Guido Palou for the exhibit, in itself, is worth seeing.
5) The exhibit is MASSIVE, with rooms dedicated to the themes of The Romantic Mind, Romantic Gothic, Cabinet of Curiosities, Romantic Nationalism, Romantic Primitivism, and others.
6) There is an actual hologram. Of Kate Moss. Amazing.
7) Coffins, cabinet of curiosities, duck feather filled-dresses, synthetic hair, multimedia – it just works.
Last point: You will never think about fashion as just clothing again.
I don’t want to spoil the exhibit, but the most interesting part about it, besides the lavish sets, backdrops, scenery, mannequins, videos and more that were pain-painstakingly planned out, down to the tiniest detail, is the emotions it evokes from the visitors, which range from awe, to confusion, to chaos, to sensory overload, and back to respect.
See it – you won’t be disappointed (And while there, hang a left up the stairs to the rooftop garden!)
Can’t check out the exhibit in person? Or want a refresher and a pro’s insight? Watch the video, narrated by curator Andrew Bolton, at The Met’s Blog
Images via Winter Phoenix Flickr Page
