Museum response for early modern fashion class
Introduction
The modern fashion is a highly contested area and dates back to the fourteenth century through the early phases of industrialization. People in the contemporary world are always enthusiastic about fashion and its constant revolution (Paulicelli 63). This assignment is a response to the presentations and displays of Dance and Fashion Show that took place at Fashion Institute of Technology, New York. The article incorporates an objective synopsis of the displays and subjective reactions. Also included in this essay are comprehensive discussions about the evolution of modern fashion (especially the Lingerie fashion) from the 18th century to the present; including the amalgamation of the African and western fashion.
Discussion
Critique of the Lingerie Dance and Fashion
The Dance and Fashion Show is a one of a kind exhibition of fashion that specializes on women clothes. The show features all kinds of cloth designs ranging from the traditional clothes to the modern clothes of the contemporary world. However, it was rather monotonous to note that the fashion show laid emphasis on women's clothes as compared to men's clothes. One should note that fashion was a masculine gamble, but it has since transformed to a feminine area of expertise. For this reason, it did not come as a shock when most of the exhibitions during the dance and show were women's attires and only a few features men's attires (Elias 157).
Dance and Fashion Show that took place at Fashion Institute of Technology, New York featured a number of classic attires including a 1950 Iris nightgown, a 1950 Claire McCardell evening dress, a 1770 Corset whalebone and a 1878 Peignoir morning robe. Also featured were 1924 cami-knickers and other more recent designs like the 1988 Lady Marlene bustier and a 2014 Suki Cohen bodysuit. All the marvelous designs were exhibited on stage by beautifully dressed models that walked stylishly on the platform (Paulicelli 117).
The Dance and Fashion was not only a display of modern fashion designs. However, it was a significant reminder of the evolution of the western urban fashion from its inception in the early fourteenth century through the industrialization period to the present. One could not go without noticing the Lingerie attires which represents a variety of ancient and modern cloth designs (Loyal, & Stephen 134). There were two types of lingerie displayed during the show. They included the soft and hard lingerie. It is noteworthy that the hard lingerie comprises of bustles, corsets and structured bras. Soft lingerie, on the other hand, consists of unstructured garments lime slips, panties and nightgowns. The soft and the hard lingerie have since led to the redefinition of the relationship between dresses and the human body over time and so have the appearance and functions of lingerie (Elias 95).
Though formerly a masculine gamble, fashion has since been predominantly inclined towards the females. Initially, women in the higher social classes were gauged by their dressing styles, and this has replicated to the modern world. It was mostly evident in the political divide where wives and daughters of high profile political personalities were identified by their sophisticated attire designs. They were perceived to be at the prime of fashion. One ought to note that this phenomenon has reciprocated to the contemporary world where clothes worn by celebrities hit headlines on most dailies and spark heated debates on both social and written media.
Technological innovation had a significant impact on cloth designs and materials. The return of the famous hourglass silhouette in the 1950s gave rise to rigid foundation garments like the stiff tulle petticoats and corsets. However, there was a direct contrast of these models in the following decade. It was because of the unstructured lingerie made from featherweight fabrics that were introduced in the markets (Paulicelli 87). These were youth-driven dressing codes that saw the coming of luxurious undergarments like lacy teddies that were inspired by ancient designs.
Conclusion
Fashion dates back to the fourteenth century and has been revolutionized since the times of civilization, through industrialization periods to the present day (Elias 45). During these periods, there have been numerous factors attributed to changes in cloth designs, materials trends including technological innovation and the inception of intimate apparels. These transitions have been displayed on multiple platforms including the Dance and Fashion Show that took place at Fashion Institute of Technology, New York.
Works Cited
Elias, Norbert. The Civilizing Process: [sociogenetic and Psychogenetic Investigations]. New York: Urizen Books, 1978. Print.
Loyal, Steven, and Stephen Quilley. The Sociology of Norbert Elias. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print.
Paulicelli, Eugenia. Writing Fashion in Early Modern Italy: From Sprezzatura to Satire. , 2014. Print.
