Historic couture and legendary supermodels at The Model as Muse exhibit

May 26, 12:17 PMDC Petite Fashion ExaminerMichelle Safro

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Dovima in Dior, Fall/Winter 1955-1956

I attended The Model as Muse exhibit at the Met over the Memorial Day weekend, and it was well worth the admission price. Photographs of famous models, from the haughty glare of a 1940s Dorian Leigh (who, interestingly, was only 5’5”) to the wide-eyed gazes of present-day Kate Moss and Gemma Ward, were preserved from magazine covers and spreads to adorn the walls of the museum. Above the photographs, designer clothing from Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Oscar de la Renta were draped across faceless mannequins. Some of the outfits were the same ones in which the various models were photographed, which allowed the viewer to observe the drastic difference between model and mannequin. Each model infused the clothes with a distinct personality, be it sensuality or an innocent simplicity. A safari shirt that on a mannequin seemed almost trashy was somehow both demure and sexy on Verushka. A black and white dress that looked bulky and out-of-place on display became elegant and refined on Dovima as she arched in front of the elephants.

Aside from the importance of models to haute couture, the exhibit also served as an unintended glimpse of how designers have recycled fashion throughout the decades. The one-shouldered goddess dresses that celebrities have worn in recent years were also popular in the 1950s; the sparkly mini shifts favored now were first worn by Twiggy and her contemporaries in the 1960s; the leather and lace combinations that seem so rebellious today were worn by the likes of Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, and Naomi Campbell in the 1990s.

The exhibit was a fantastic history lesson of the evolution of clothing, and the designers and (mostly tall) women who made those clothes seem so exciting. If you love fashion and plan to be in Manhattan before August 9, The Model as Muse is a must-see.

For more info: The Model as Muse