L’Of/ciel Style 36
WH AT: GENDER BENDING FASHION
WHERE: Museum of Fine Arts Boston
WHEN: Until 25th August 2019
WHY: Up until the 18th century, fashion was, if not exactly ungendered, then at least an
equal-opportunity playing field for both sexes (if they were affluent enough) to show
off their fineries. Men and women alike donned powdered wigs, elevated heels, ruffed
collars and yards of elaborate silks and brocades and damasks. Then, items of clothing
got loaded with gender codes and some things became acceptable for one sex but not
for another. In its latest show curated by Michell Finamore, MFA Boston aims to explore
the way fashion has broken, blurred and redefined gender boundaries and conventions
over the past century. With a mix of historical costume and contemporary designs
from visionaries like Rei Kawakubo, Jean Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent, Viviennne
Westwood, Rick Owens, Alessandro Michele and Rad Hourani; the exhibition is divided
into three distinct sections—Disrupt, Blur and Transcend.Though the show highlights historical fashion movements like the garçonne look of
1920s flapper girls and the peacock revolution in 1960s menswear, Finamore also
uses fashion as a jump-off point to shine a spotlight on the societal shifts of this
era especially regarding issues of racial equality, LGBTQ rights and the power of
self-expression in the social media age. Apart from seminal works from influential
fashion designers, Gender Bending Fashion also features culturally impactful looks
worn by icons who disregarded gender conventions such as David Bowie, Marlene
Dietrich, Jimi Hendrix and Young Thug; as well as multimedia works spanning painting,
photography, music and video to add further depth to the conversation revolving
around fashion and gender.Exhibit A
The question of whether fashion is art will always inspire passionate
debate on both sides, but these museums are making a case for it with
shows focused on designers with outsized cultural impact and with
exhibitions placing clothing in a wider sociopolitical context.
BY JEFFREY YANPHOTOGRAPHYCAITLIN CUNNINGHAM / MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BOSTON