Chaos to Couture
‘PUNK: Chaos to Couture’, examines punk’s impact on high fashion from the movement’s birth in the 1970’s through to its continuing influence today. The major exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, illustrates how haute couture and ready-to-wear have borrowed punk’s visual symbols.
‘PUNK: Chaos to Couture’, juxtaposes iconic punk garments from the mid-1970s with recent, directional fashion, paillettes are replaced with safety pins, feathers with razor blades, and bugle beads with studs.
Clear ties can be seen between the punk concept of do-it-yourself and the couture concept of made-to measure. Materials, techniques and embellishments associated with the anti-establishment style are embedded within the collections of high fashion houses. Notions such as deconstruction, provocation and individualism pay homage to the punk movement.
The garments are arranged thematically into seven galleries, each section defined by designated punk ‘heroes’ who embody the broader concepts of the fashions on view. Vivienne Westwood, Patti Smith, Blondie and The Ramones are among the ‘heroes’ who extend the visual language of punk.
Iconic fashion houses and designers involved include: Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel); Alexander McQueen (Moschino); Christopher Bailer (Burberry); Dior, Domenico Dolce and Stefana Gabbana, (Dolce and Gabbana), John Galliano, Nicolas Ghesquière (Balenciaga), Christopher Kane, Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons); Miuccia Prada, (Saint Laurent); Gianni Versace and Vivienne Westwood.
PUNK: Chaos to Couture is on display until Wednesday 14 August 2013 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
