YES, this exhibit review post is a year late. Sometimes time moves too quickly, I don’t make the rules. (I did see this year’s exhibit the other day, so you can expect that post a lot sooner (haha, am I lying? Nobody knows).) Thoughts below!

The 2024 Costume Exhibit at The Met, NYC

Absolutely loved the 2024 exhibit. The items were lit very well against a white background (why would they ever deviate from this idea?) and the entire exhibit made great use of the space. It’s true that I don’t (and never will) like when they display things too high up (see above photo), but since there were so many pieces to display I suppose I’ll allow it this one time.

Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton, spring/summer 2011

I’ll never forget the Alexander McQueen exhibit from 2011 (Savage Beauty). I wish I had this site back then so I could have documented how gorgeous and well done it all was. (This oyster dress is burned in my memory forever.)

Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton, autumn/winter 2018-2019

There was a “smell experience” also within the exhibit that was a good idea in theory but didn’t really land in execution. But that didn’t bother me (surprisingly?) because I respect effort.

I’m patiently waiting for the day that The Met decides to do a wedding costume exhibit. Can. you. imagine. the. decadence. You’d need a whole wing of the museum to do it properly, too. None of this up-high nonsense. I want to see TRAINS. Can someone please put me in charge of something.

Charles James, "Tulip" evening dress, 1949

Charles James, "Butterfly" ball gown, 1955

I didn’t realize cocktail aprons were ever a thing and now I need one (below).

Attributed to Mainbocher, cocktail apron, 1943

Collina Strada, Hillary Taymour, "Meadowsweet" dress, spring/summer 2023

Reminded me of how much I loved that Collina Strada bodysuit from the 2022 exhibit.

Conner Ives, "Couture Girl" dress, autumn/winter 2021-2022

I don’t know if that’s supposed to be hilarious (above) but it is and I love it.

Dauphinette, Olivia Cheng, autumn/winter 2022-2023

Bug dress!

Okay, I love this rose dress. I mean, I kinda already designed it but as a headpiece.

Why aren’t we all wearing more capes?

Gucci, Alessandro Michele, cape, autumn/winter 2017-2018

It’s wild that an H&M dress (below) is in this exhibit but I do love that it’s recycled from shoreline plastic waste. Considering how much harm this company has already done to the planet, this seems… dense.

H&M, "Serpentine" dress, spring/summer 2017

House of Dior, “New Junon" evening dress, spring/summer 2017 haute couture

There’s something so timeless about a Dior gown. Just the definitely of elegance, I love them so much.

House of Dior, Yves Saint Lauren, "Rose Rouge" evening dress, spring/summer 1958

Christian Dior, "Venus" ball gown, autumn/winter 1949-1950 haute couture

Christian Dior, May ball gown, spring/summer 1953

I recognize these two Dior dresses (above and below) from the 2016 Manus X Machina exhibit.

House of Dior, "Vilmorin" ensemble, spring/summer 1952

Christian Dior, "Junon" ball gown, autumn/winter 1949-1950 haute couture

House of Schiaparelli, Daniel Roseberry, spring/summer 2024

A man whispered, “I’ll have the branzino” to his wife while looking at this dress (above) and I’ll be honest, I really laughed. So dumb. People do take this stuff so seriously sometimes, so it’s nice to hear people’s out-loud thoughts.

House of Worth, Charles Frederick Worth, "Tulipes Hollandaises" evening cloak, 1889

BRING BACK THE CLOAK.

Iris van Herpen, "Nautiloid" dress, spring/summer 2020 haute couture

I really love how much fun the Iris van Herpen pieces are. I remember seeing her work for the first time in the 2020 About Time exhibit (online, since it was 2020). I mean, look at how whimsical this one is.

Iris van Herpen, "Physalia" dress, spring/summer 2020 haute couture

Iris van Herpen, autumn/winter 2011-2012 haute couture

There was an entire room devoted to poppies, which I didn’t love. I mean I get it, poppies are associated with remembrance and eternal sleep so it does fit the theme - but I wasn’t in love with the pieces used.

Isaac Mizrahi, "Exploded Poppy" dress, spring/summer 1992

Will forever adore any sort of draping.

Marni, Francesco Risso, spring/summer 2024

Mason Martin Margiela, autumn/winter 2014-2015

Sidenote: I loooove this wig coat with my whole heart.

Olivier Theyskens, autumn/winter 2000-2001

Nothing better than a big bouncy dress and I love Oliver Theyskens. Look at this other breathtaking gown he made.

Phillip Lim, Charlotte McCurdy, "Algae Sequin" dress, 2021

Richard Malone, autumn/winter 2020-2021 & Richard Malone, spring/summer 2020

Rodarte, Kate Mulleavy, Laura Mulleavy, spring/summer 2012

Would die for a Rodarte gown. I still have dreams about the one I saw from the In America: A Lexicon of Fashion exhibit from 2022 (seen here). Oh! And can’t forget this gorgeous dress from the Women Dressing Women exhibit in 2024.

Properly lit and positioned garments make me swoon, I’m sorry

Viktor & Rolf, Viktor Horsting, Rolf Snoeren, spring/summer 2015 haute couture

Okay, look at how much fun this gown is.

Undercover, Jun Takahashi, spring/summer 2024

Note: this exhibit was on view at The Met from May 10 – September 2, 2024.

And since you’re here, I’ll show you what the rooftop exhibit was at The Met for 2024 as well:

Petrit Halilaj, Abetare, The Met Rooftop, 2024

Past fashion exhibits I’ve seen at The Met:

2023 - Women Dressing Women

2023 - Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty

2022 - In America (Part Two): An Anthology of Fashion

2021 - In America (Part One): A Lexicon of Fashion (as well as the updated Part One that a few months later)

2019 - Camp: Notes on Fashion

2018 - Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination (not a full post, but a brief summary)

2016 - Manus x Machine: Fashion in an Age of Technology

I’ve also written about the Thierry Muglar exhibit as well as the Christian Dior one (both at the Brooklyn Museum).

the met in america costume institute nyc

One of my favourite things to do each year is to visit The Costume Institute inside The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Next to the rooftop exhibit, it’s my second favourite thing to do there. Here’s a description of the exhibit that’s been on display since September.

“Approximately 100 men’s and women’s ensembles by a diverse range of designers from the 1940s to the present are featured. Enclosed in scrimmed cases that represent three-dimensional “patches” of a quilt, they are organized into 12 sections that explore defining emotional qualities: Nostalgia, Belonging, Delight, Joy, Wonder, Affinity, Confidence, Strength, Desire, Assurance, Comfort, and Consciousness.”

— The Met

It’s a two part exhibit and the second part will be opening on May 7, 2022 and I absolutely cannot wait for it. Here were my favourites from part one.

“For his autumn/winter 2021–22 collection, Michael Kors celebrated the fortieth anniversary of his womenswear line with a presentation that included reinterpretations of designs from his past collections. This gold-sequined dress, paired here with a cashmere coat that has a coordinating sequin-embroidered lining, is a reprisal of a design he debuted in 2000 and a nod to one of Norman Norell’s favored combinations. The ensemble exemplifies Kors’s facility for executing opulent garments in a relaxed manner intended to offer the wearer a sense of confidence and ease.”

— The Met

“Tom Ford is well known for the overt sex appeal of his designs, which reveal and accentuate the body with fluid fabrics and body-conscious silhouettes. Ford’s spring/summer 2018 collection borrowed from the sharp lines of his men’s suits. This evening dress is constructed of tightly ruched black net wrapped over the broad, padded shoulders and around the upper arms, mimicking the square shape of a man’s jacket. From the waist to the hem, the net is loosely draped in sheer folds, revealing the hips and legs beneath. ”

— The Met

“In Donna Karan’s first collection for her own label, she introduced a concept that became known as “Seven Easy Pieces.” This series of coordinated separates—bodysuits, trousers, skirts, and jackets—could be variously combined for different occasions and formed the foundation of a modular wardrobe. These fashions offered the wearer an alternative language of professional dress that was both commanding and feminine, while providing a sense of assurance due to their comfort, ease of coordination, and compatibility with work and personal life. ”

— The Met

“In her designs, Claude Kameni uses fabrics often referred to as African wax prints. These vividly colored and densely patterned textiles, which have an enduring history of popular use in West and Central Africa, were originally inspired by batik, or wax-resist, cloth from Indonesia. The dynamism of Kameni’s work is indebted to the synergy she creates between these vibrant patterns, her strong silhouettes, and the body of the wearer. In this dress, the pattern is arranged to complement the curves of the figure and accentuate the flowing tiers of the skirt.”

— The Met

“The double-hooded sweatshirt displayed here features two neck holes with only one set of sleeves. Part of Bstroy’s “Sweet Screams” collection, it was presented on the runway on two models as if they were craving companionship. Intended for an individual wearer, the garment’s second hood effectively lays limp on the shoulder, suggesting a dystopian future of loneliness and isolation.”

— The Met

“A piece of embroidery executed in his native Haiti and shared with him by his sister Brigitte inspired the first of Fabrice Simon’s beaded designs. Beaded garments based on embroidery patterns he drafted himself would become his signature. As in this dress, they often retain the lively and spontaneous quality of a drawing. Previous experience as a textile designer likely honed his ability to create patterns that harmonize with the body in the finished garment.”

— The Met

“Musicals of Hollywood’s Golden Age provided inspiration for Rodarte’s autumn/winter 2019–20 collection, which featured designs that offer a fantastical counterpoint to the costumes brought to life on screen by women such as Ginger Rogers. In this dress, the designers created a sense of animation through their careful handling of the fabric. Dense, cascading ruffles enveloping the skirt spring gently in tandem with the wearer’s movement, giving way to open, petal-like layers at the shoulders that generate more buoyancy. ”

— The Met

“Titled “Nothing Is Forever,” Vaquera’s spring/summer 2021 collection explored the potential of an “anything goes” approach to dressing in a post-pandemic world. The design trio—known for its campy sensibility and fashion-outsider status—played with the idea of innerwear as everyday outerwear, incorporating lingerie and bedroom details throughout the collection. This oversized boa boasts an exuberant jumble of jersey, tulle, and lace, as if the wearer wrapped themselves in lingerie-strewn bedding and unabashedly walked out the door.”

— The Met

You can see glimpses of the past exhibits if you’re at all interested…

And if you don’t find yourself in NYC and still want to take a look at some of the exhibit, then take a look at this video below or you can see all of the pieces on display over here.

UPDATE: The Met also added new pieces to this collection in 2022 and I wrote about them over here.

The Met's 2024 Costume Exhibit - Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion

In America: A Lexicon of Fashion Exhibit at The Met