August 14, 2017 |
Fashion – what’s it all about? Why do we need it and why is it so damn moreish? These are among several important questions that will be examined at MoMA’s upcoming show, ‘Items: Is Fashion Modern?’. Opening at the beginning of October, the exhibition, MoMA’s first fash exhibition since 1944, will attempt to flesh out our relationship with clothing at its most fundamental level, via an examination of over 100 objects selected for their timeless, iconic, and sometimes revolutionary, qualities.
We caught up with Paola Antonelli, MoMA’s senior curator of design and organiser of the upcoming exhibition, all the way back in March to discuss the show, which, according to her, is representative of, “a universality of stimulation”. Trying to narrow down a list of the most iconic designs in history to a little over 100 objects is a tall order, but for Antonelli, “influence is what groups them all together, and influence is what I would like people to be able recognise when they leave the exhibition.”
Whether it’s Prada’s nylon backpack, Havaianas or the humble Fruit of the Loom white tee, for Antonelli, our relationship with clothing is something deeply visceral, something akin to a relationship we might share with another person. For her, “these garments have such personalities that the only thing you can do is to establish a dialogue, they live on their own…they are entities that bring something to your life and that you need to contend with.” Anyone fancy paying for our flights?
Items: Is Fashion Modern? will be on at MoMA from October 1st 2017 – January 28th 2018
