Today is May 1, 2023, but it is also the first Monday of May. This means the Metropolitan Museum of the Arts is holding its annual gala, commonly known as the Met Gala. Even though attending the Gala is very expensive for the common person, anyone can see the exhibition the Gala celebrates the opening of. These exhibitions are special and have a theme that isn’t ordinary in comparison to the special exhibitions the Met has.

I really enjoy seeing what the new exhibitions are and purchasing books of my favorite exhibitions. This year, I decided to write a post about five of the former exhibitions I would like to see. There are others, but these five stand out as the exhibitions I would like to go back in time and see. The 2023 exhibition, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, is an exhibition I would like to see, but I want to focus on the old exhibitions instead.

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

I hate to say this, but I have a love/hate relationship with Alexander McQueen’s clothing. They are beautifully made and, since McQueen was not only a designer but a pattern drafter, fit the wearer in a way that makes them stand out from the rest of the crowd. Still, not all designs are my style. In fact many of his designs are not my style. Even though I could go on and on about my options of his designs, I still want to go back in time and see the Met’s exhibition of his work. Savage Beauty opened in 2011 and was the first exhibition of his work after he passed away in 2010. Even though I’m not a major fan of his work, the beauty and the craftsmanship of his designs is something I would like to see in person at the Met.

 

Magnus x Machina: Fashion in the Age of Technology

In 2016, the Met opened Magus x Machina, an exhibition that explored fashion and technology that made creating the garments possible. When I heard about this exhibition, I really was curious about it. I am always learning about how new technology helps art, including fashion, for work purposes, so this exhibition was perfect for me. What also drew me in was the fact Christian Dior’s Venus and Junon dresses were on display. I love them and, if I have the chance, I want to see them in person as many times as possible. The inclusion of two of my favorite Dior dresses in an exhibition that is in cannon with my work made it the ideal exhibition for me to visit.

 

Charles James: Beyond Fashion

Not to be confused with beauty YouTuber James Charles, Charles James was an American fashion designer. Best known for his work during the 1940’s and 1950’s, he is regarded by many as America’s first couturier. The Met held and exhibition of his work in 2014. Even though I talk more about Christian Dior and his fashion during the same time period, I really like Charles James’ fashion as well. I would love to go back in time and see his designs in person during this exhibition!

 

Superheros: Fashion and Fantasy

Superheros: Fashion and Fantasy is the oldest exhibition on this list, but it was the one that caught my eye first and drew my attention to the Met Gala in the first place. The exhibition opened in 2008 and featured not only designs by noteworthy designer, but also screen used costumes in superhero movies. Since the exhibition opened in 2008, many of the best known superhero movies and the costumes from them were not in the exhibition. Even though I believe this exhibition theme could be reused in modern times with new exhibits, I still want to see the 2008 one.

 

Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination

The last exhibition I would like to see is Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. The exhibition opened in 2018 and was large. So large, it covered multiple buildings, including the Cloisters, a Medieval Catholic convent that was moved from France to New York City in the 1920’s. Even though the focus on the exhibition was the Catholic iconography and its influence in fashion, the Vatican loaned item to put on display as well. As you could imagine, the exhibition did have a  controversial side due to the sacred nature of the objects on display and how they would be displayed in accordance with fashion. Despite this, I still would love to see the exhibition on all buildings as well as the pieces on loan from the Vatican.

 

Well, that’s all for now! Thank you for reading!