On a recent trip to New York, I had a full day to myself at the MET- Metropolitan Museum of Art. One of the best museums on the planet seriously, I love the place it never gets old.. I was super excited because I would be viewing the Costume Institute spring 2016 exhibition, Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology, which explores the relationship between the handmade and the mechanized in the creation of haute-couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear. In a word AWESOME. As a lover of art and fashion this exhibit was out of this world. I loved the opportunity to look closely at so many stunning and ornate pieces of art. Every costume in the exhibit is complimented by wall text that explains exactly how it was made. The exhibit normally runs from May 5 to August 14 but has been extended to September 5. As usual pictures never quite do justice to what you see with your own eyes.
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| Karl Lagerfeld (French, born Hamburg, 1938) for House of Chanel (French, founded 1913) Wedding ensemble (back view), autumn/winter 2014–15 haute couture |
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| Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, spring/summer 2012. |
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| Christian Dior (French, 1905–1957) "Vilmiron" dress, spring/summer 1952 haute couture French |
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| A Gareth Pugh creation made of plastic drinking straws, hand-cut and attached individually. |
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| A Gareth Pugh creation made of plastic drinking straws, hand-cut and attached individually. |
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| An evening dress of ostrich feathers by Hubert de Givenchy for House of Givenchy, from 1966-67. |
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| A dress made with a 3-D printer by the Dutch designer Iris van Herpen, known for her sculptural works. |
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| From left, two evening dresses created decades apart — 1968 and circa 1935 — by the French designer Madame Grès (a.k.a. Alix Barton), alongside a 2010 ensemble by Iris van Herpen |
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| Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, autumn/winter 2012-13. |