The Alexander McQueen exhibit: Savage Beauty at Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC
I have been dreading to go to Met to see Savage Beauty as whoever went to the exhibit said, “It’s so popular you need to be in the line for so long like hours then it’s too crowded that it’s hard to see all in detail!” But regardless, I knew it was going to be amazing. ” Exhibit will make you cry!” that’s what I heard a lot too. I was lucky enough to get free private access to the Museum this Monday through a friend at the museum as the Museum is closed on Mondays. But due to the high demand of this show, Museum had introduced ” Met Mondays with McQueen” starting from June 6. And it will cost you hefty $50.00 entrance fee but I highly recommend it otherwise not sure how you can say you really saw the exhibition with all that big crowd. And very nice audio tour ( narrated by Andrew Bolton, Sara Jessica Parker, Philip Treacy and more!) is on the house with this special Monday tour I believe.
Last Year, The 40 years of YSL Retrospective at Paris was amazing, beautiful and unbelievable. But still it stayed in fashion. Beautiful clothing with impeccable workmanship in beautiful setting. But Savage Beauty definitely felt closer to an art exhibit. McQueen’s fashion surpasses countless Artists’ art out there today. And I like to pay a huge credit to Mr. Andrew Bolton, the curator of this exhibit and Costume Institute who handled many years’ yearly gala. I had a privilege to work with him personally on a small project related to the last year’s Gala, American women as Gap was major sponsor to the exhibit.
And Mr. Bolton, you’ve had beautifully executed Savage Beauty to translate Alexander McQueen’s dark, strong, complex and bold approach to his artful inner world. The rooms were perfectly McQueen. The lighting, the materials of the wall, the music and utterly dark and chick showcases and the stage. I absolutely loved it. The Colors in the room, runway clips, the most amazing head and shoulder pieces, the materials of the setting… I could go on and on about this. It felt beautifully expensive and perfectly regal but also completely modern and dare futuristic. Just like who Alexander McQueen was.
The entrance! Red tinted microscopic glass pieces and ostrich feather dress on the left and the infamous Razor clam shell dress on the right. It kills me. I highly recommend you to get the Audio tour. You get to hear stories behind from actual people who worked on or worn the actual pieces.
The first room, ”The Romantic Mind”, is dedicated to the tailored and mostly jacket pieces. Lots of these pieces were landed by the actual owners for the exhibit. McQueen’s Savile Row in London’s tailoring experience is showing through these pieces. Only showing a few pieces here.
The washed concrete wall and naive wood flank is familiar contrast we see everyday now but again it works beautifully against McQueen’s impeccable hard tailoring.
The second room, “The Romantic Gothic” filled with aged mirrors.
This guilded golden glass showcase is absolutely to die for and the amazing McQueen’s work…
“The Cabinet of Curiosity”, a room dedicated to many of McQueen’s amazing Accessories and their relationship to related items. This room truly made me fill like I was in a Art exhibition.
My heart deeply aching…. The Spine corset with a tail.
Approaching to the Fan dress. Just like those delicately cut out Japanese wooden fan.
Yes, She’s turning.
There are ton more in this “Closet of Curiosity” room. I kept going back in there. It was hard to end myself and move on.
” The Romantic Nationalism”, McQueen celebrates his root, London. He was very proud of the city where he came from.
“The Romantic Primitivism”
” Romantic Exoticism”
“Romantic Naturalism, the last room”
I only have a few pictures from the Savage Beauty in this post. You need to see All in person. It ends on August 7. So hurry up!
It was truly one of the most amazing exhibitions I have seen. Not just McQueen itself but the whole package, it is a great exhibition. Also excellent website.
And NEVER TO MISS, click on THIS to watch clips of McQueen’s runway shows.
Architecture, Art, Book, Culture, Design, Events, Fashion, Film, London/England, Music, NYC, Travel 1 Comment
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There’s a face on the black skirt in the glass/golden case & I wonder if it’s a print on the skirt, or your reflection?