Fashion is, and always has been, a driver of cultural, social and political change. It is a way to tell the world who we are and what we believe. Indeed, fashion photographers and publications like Vogue Italia have long published controversial and timely commentaries on current events – such as when they published a spread by Steven Meisel that was inspired by the deadly Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010. In recent years, high-end designers have used their platforms to show their support for Ukraine after the Russian invasion, as well as solidarity with the Black Lives Matter and Me Too movements. Here are five current exhibitions that showcase fashion designers and creatives who demonstrate how the industry has, and continues to, shape our culture, politics and identity – from ideas of self-expression, body image and identity, to the desperate need to make the future of fashion more sustainable.
Yuima Nakazato: Beyond Couture
Museum of Lace and Fashion, Calais | Until 5 January
The latest exhibition of Japanese avante-garde designer Yuima Nakazato showcases how the designer intersects cutting-edge technology and innovation with sustainability. The wastefulness of the industry is the main concern of the artist, and here we are offered an insight into his approach to combatting it. The artist utilises modern techniques and technology to their advantage in this pursuit of environmental friendliness. They use computational 3D knitting to minimise waste materials in the production process, and design their pieces in a way that makes them easily repairable by replacing damaged parts – rather than discarding the whole garment. His couture is a laboratory for more sustainable fashion, incorporating upcycled materials and waste that is not typically recycled. Nakazato’s pioneering vision provides the blueprint for the future of fashion design, production and repair.
Specialist sportswear for women first began to emerge at the end of the 19th century. Since then, it has been adopted for everyday life, making up a huge part of the “athleisure” and “streetwear” styles that are now so ubiquitous on our high street and runways. The show documents this transition, and examines the part played by fashion in physical activities and the social impact of its development. One section is entirely devoted to sea bathing and swimming, symbolising the democratisation of sport that came with the end of the 19th century. The exhibition particularly spotlights important ideas around how images of the body have changed due to progression in sportswear and the way that this shapes wider ideas of body image in cultures across the world. Visitors can trace this progression, witnessing the liberation of the body through exercise and how this has contributed to changing mentalities and beauty standards.
Consider how you feel when you put on your favourite outfit. Perhaps you’re someone who likes to don glad rags, or maybe you prefer comfort over anything else. Regardless, there is a certain sense of confidence, power and self-assurance that comes from dressing in a way that reflects your personality. Unpicking Couture investigates the link between fashion and emotion, considering the concept of “dopamine dressing”, which encourages selection clothes based on what will bring the most joy. The exhibition provides a fascinating intersection between art and science, as the concept has been extensively researched by psychologists. In 2012, the University of Hertfordshire found that when participants wore clothes of symbolic value to them, their perceived confidence increased. In this, we can see how fashion not only shapes how others view us, but also how we see ourselves.
V&A, Dundee | Until 5 January
“This exhibition counters the perception of the kimono as merely traditional attire, showcasing its dynamic role in fashion history,” said curator Anna Jackson. The garment has a history deeply rooted in Japanese national identity, yet its influence spans across the world. Here, we are presented with a microcosm of how fashion can influence popular art, culture and trends. Kimono details a significant exchange between East and West, which shaped global contemporary fashion. Not only this, but it also expertly highlights how fashion can seep into all forms of art – from the costume design of films like Star Wars, to showcasing a new custom-design commissioned by KellyDawn Riot, inspired by Taylor Swift’s music. A particularly poignant piece is a kimono once owned by Freddie Mercury, which he wore at home, emphasising the deep personal connections that can be woven through an item.
Today, we take for granted that a matter of clicks is all we need to get fashion delivered to our front door. This was not always the case, with homemade or bespoke tailored clothes slowly progressing to the high-street before shopping was taken online. In 1963, fashion illustrator Barbara Hulanicki established a mail-order company selling affordable fashion appealing to a new generation of young women, which she named Biba. Now, the Fashion and Textile Museum documents how this phenomenon blossomed to become the world’s first lifestyle label. From feather boas to shift dresses, the brand was synonymous with the swinging sixties. But the exhibition goes far beyond mere aesthetics, instead prompting us to consider what the democratisation of fashion has done to ideas of self-expression. In delivering it to people at home, Hulanicki offered women the chance to showcase their identity through their wardrobe.
Words: Emma Jacob
Image Credits:
Yuima Nakazato, collection Atlas, printemps-été 2021 Credits: Yuima Nakazato/ Yasunari Kikuma.
Peter Knapp, Swimming costumes, for Elle, 1971 © Peter Knapp.
Kimono ensemble, HIROCOLEDGE by Hiroko Takahashi, 2009, Japan © Image courtesy of Hiroko Takahashi.
Jean Shrimpton and Barbara Miller wearing Biba, 1973.PhotoDuffy © Duffy Archive.
