Manus X Machina - Fashion In An Age Of Technology
English
MUSEUM VISIT: Manus X Machina - Fashion In An Age Of Technology
MUSEUM: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Exhibition 2016
It was fascinating to look at 120 garments dating back to the start of the 20th century and contemplate each design’s process, its designers, materials, and how it was made.
This exhibition, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art until September 5, reveals the unique and revolutionary qualities of handmade garments in combination of machine-made garments throughout history. It mostly focuses on the creation of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear clothes and their symbolic associations over the years.
The term haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing, constructed by hand with meticulous attention to detail and hours’ worth of work. Avant-garde ready-to-wear (or prêt-à-porter) are designer collections that are cutting-edge, innovative and extravagant, but are also mass produced.
The exhibition was organized into sections such as embroidery, pleating, lacework, embellishments (such as artificial flowers and featherwork), and more. In some of the garments, the reflection of the details are projected onto the wall and ceiling giving the work of art more drama.
As I wandered through the exhibition I wondered, what would Coco Chanel and Christian Dior have thought of the evolution of their fashion houses with today’s technology? If they were still alive today, would they have welcomed the application of modern technology to handmade clothes? Would they be happy with the designer clothes being mass-produced now under their names?
I think this exhibit was an eye opener to how we have come to consume fashion at a fast pace without slowing down to look at the design and details of the garments we buy. What will come next? Will the future be to purchase clothing models online that can be 3D-printed in different materials from home and disposed of after a single use? I hope not. As shown in the exhibition, both methods can be integrated or separated and great, thought-provoking creations can come to life.
“The Mediator between the hand and the machine must be the heart.”
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Manus X Machina – Moda en la era de la Tecnología
Visita al Museo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Exhibition 2016
Fue fascinante ver 120 atuendos que datan desde los inicios del siglo 20 y contemplar el proceso del diseño, sus diseñadores, materiales y de cómo fueron éstos realizados.
Esta exhibición, en el Museo Metropolitano de Arte que se presentará hasta el 5 de Septiembre, revela las cualidades y únicas y revolucionarias de los atuendos elaborados a mano en combinación con los atuendos de moda hechos a máquina a través de la historia. Generalmente se enfoca en las creaciones haute couture y moda lista para vestir del tipo avant-garde y sus asociaciones simbólicas conforme han pasado los años.
El término haute couture (alta costura) refiere a la creación de ropas exclusivas y hechas a la medida, construidas a mano con meticulosa atención a los detalles y de horas de trabajo que bien valen la pena invertir. La moda lista para usar del tipo avant-garde (o prêt-à-porter) son colecciones de diseñador que son completamente innovadoras y extravagantes, pero al mismo tiempo producidas en grandes volúmenes.
La exhibición fue organizada en sectores tales como bordado, plisado, encajes, adornos (tales como flores artificiales y plumas), y más. En algunos atuendos, el reflejo de detalles son proyectados en la pared y techo, otorgándole al trabajo artístico un mayor drama.
A medida que recorría la exhibición, me preguntaba, ¿Qué podría haber pensado Coco Chanel y Christian Dior de la evolución de las casa de moda con el avance de la tecnología de hoy en día? Si estuvieras vivos en esta época actual, ¿Habrían ellos agradecido la aplicación de tecnología moderna en la elaboración de atuendos a mano? ¿Hubieran estado ellos felices con que las prendas de diseñador, incluso aquellas bajo sus reconocidos nombres, sean elaboradas en masa hoy en día?
Pienso que esta exhibición abre los ojos de cómo hemos llegado a consumir la moda a un ritmo rápido, sin siquiera reducir la velocidad para mirar el diseño y los detalles de las prendas que compramos. ¿Qué vendrá después? ¿Será el futuro comprar modelos de ropa en línea, impresa en 3D, elaborada a partir de diferentes materiales encontrados en casa y desechados luego de un solo uso? Espero que no. Tal como fue mostrado en la exhibición, ambos métodos pueden ser integrados, ambos métodos pueden integrarse o dividirse y grandiosas creaciones pueden ser creadas.
“El mediador entre la mano y la máquina debe ser el corazón.”
MOST IMPORTANT PIECE:
The first garment that welcomes you to the exhibit is a wedding gown designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel’s Fall 2014 haute couture collection. It has a 20-foot train that was sketched by hand and then manipulated digitally to create the appearance of a pixelated baroque pattern. A total of 450 hours were put into the workmanship of this dress. Both machine and handcrafting techniques were used as follows: hand-painted with gold metallic pigment; machine-printed with rhinestones; and hand embroidered with pearls and gemstones.
GARMENTS FROM THE EXHIBITION:
Givenchy, 1963, Haute couture
Alexander McQueen, Primavera/ Verano Pret-a Porter
Yves Saint Laurent, Spring/Summer Haute Couture
Karl Lagerfeld for House of Chanel, Autumn/Winter 2005/06 Haute Couture
Gareth Pugh Autumn/Winter 2015/16 Pret a Porter
Yves Saint Laurent for House of Dior, Spring/Summer 1958 Haute Couture
Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2012 Pret-a-Porter
Iris Van Harpen Spring/Summer 2015 Pret-a-Porter
Iris Van Herpen Spring/Summer 2016 Pret-a-Porter
Iris Van Herpen Autumn 2012, Haute Couture 3D Printed
Both first dresses by Madame Gres (Alix Barton) Circa 1968 and 1935
Iris Van Herpen Spring/Summer 2010 Haute Couture 3D printed
Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2016 Pret-a-Porter
Christian Dior, "Vilmiron" dress Spring/Summer 1952, Haute Couture
Christian Dior, "May" dress Spring Summer 1953, Haute Couture
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel suit 1963-68 The other suits are an evolution in 3D and hand-embroidered designed by House of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld Autumn/Winter 2015-16
Prada Autumn/Winter 2016 Pret-a-Porter
threeASFOUR "Bahai" dress Spring/Summer 2014 Pret-a-Porter
Christian Dior, "Bar Suit" Jacket Spring/Summer 1947, Haute Couture
Hussein Chalayan, "One Hundred and Eleven" dresses, Spring/Summer 2007, Pret-a-Porter
Hussein Chalayan "Kaikoku" dress, Autumn/Winter 2011-12 Pret-a-Porter
threeASFOUR, Spring/Summer 2016, Pret a Porter
threeASFOUR - Dress, Spring /Summer 2016 Pret-a-Porter
Proenza Schouler, Autumn/Winter 2013-14 Pret-a-Porter
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, Evening dress, 1937-38 Haute Couture
Mariano Fortuny, Evening dress, 1920, Haute Couture
Hussein Chalayan, Spring/Summer 2009, Pret-a-Porter
Hussein Chalayan, Spring Summer 2009, Pret-a-Porter
Issey Miyake, "Rhythm Pleats" dress Spring/Summer 1990
House of Givenchy, Autumn/Winter 2010, Haute Couture
Iris Van Herpen, Autumn/Winter 2011-12
House of Dior, Spring/Summer 2014, Haute Couture
House of Dior, Ensemble, Spring/Summer 2015, Haute Couture
Pierre Cardin, 1968, Haute Couture
Junya Watanabe Autumn/Winter 2000/2001, Pret-a-Porter
Junya Watanabe Autumn/Winter Cape 2015-16 Pret-a-Porter
House of Dior, "Junon" Dress, Autumn/Winter 1949-5,Haute Couture
House of Dior "Venus" Dress, Autumn/Winter 1949-50 Haute Couture
Alexander McQueen, Ensemble, Spring/Summer 2012, Pret-a-Porter
IMAGE IN THE SPACE:
Inspired by the most important piece in the exhibition, I decided to pull from my closet a cape that I happened to have sitting in my closet for months. It was perfect for the occasion with golden baroque prints and machine made. I hope you guys enjoyed the post, and if you get a chance, go see the exhibition before it closes September 5th 2016.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Edwing Roncal
lnstagram @ Edroncal
COLLAGE-COVER BY: Paola Paulino