The Metropolitan Museum of Art: China: Through the Looking Glass

On Monday I attended the press preview of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's new exhibition,  "China Through the Looking Glass,".  At the preview, Director of the Museum, Thomas Campbell,  Chairman of the Department of Art, Mike Hearn, Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer and, Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton, and famed Hong Kong director and Artistic Director of the exhibition, Wong Kar Wai, gave opening remarks.  Also in attendance were Anna Wintour, financier Silas Chou, Wendi Murdoch, and designer Vivienne Tam.

L to R (Top: Thomas Campell, Anna Wintour, Silas Chou, Wendi Murdoch, Wong Kar-Wai, Bottom: Mike Hearn, Marissa Mayer, Andrew Bolton)

The exhibition in one of the biggest undertaken by the museum, displaying 150 haute couture dresses, gowns, costumes and accessories from 40 designers alongside Chinese art,costumes, paintings, porcelains, and other art, including films.  It explores the impact of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion, and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries.  The exhibition runs from May 7 to Aug. 16.  



The exhibition was so immense, I was a bit overwhelmed, but plan on returning to the Met to see the art and fashion at a more leisurely pace.  One of my favorite rooms was the Blue Porcelain room with designs influenced by traditional blue and white Chinese porcelain.

The Blue Porcelain Room: Gown by Designer Guo Pei ( designed Rihanna's yellow gown for Met Gala), ( photo with Guo Pei 2013)

Another favorite was the Astor Court which features a thematic vignette dedicated to Chinese opera, focusing on John Galliano’s spring 2003 Christian Dior Haute Couture Collection.  Two gowns designed by Martin Margiela using vintage Chinese opera costumes were a highlight.  

 Cinema plays a big role in Western understanding of the richness of Chinese history.  One of the galleries exhibits a group of cheongsam also know as qipao, considered the traditional dress of China.  Video clips of Maggie Cheung wearing colorful qipaos from the movie "In the Mood for Love" provide visual and audio ambience perfect for this exhibit.

Screenshot of Maggie Cheung dressed in one of the many colorful cheongsams in the film "In the Mood for Love" directed by Wong Kar-Wai.

Chinese Cheongsam 1932

In the Chinese Galleries, Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American actress was the center of attention.  Wong was a pioneer for Asian-American actors and one of the few actors in general to transition from silent to talking films.

Anna May Wong Christian Dior Evening Gown

Christian Dior Gown

Left: Alexander McQueen Dress in silk.

American Couture Fashion Superstar Rodarte

Originally published on NewYorkGirlStyle.com

This February 2012 Vogue shows the tall and lithe country singer Taylor Swift lounging on a sofa dressed in a flowing Rodarte floral print dress. When you flip through the rest of the pictures of Swift by Mario Testino, you realize that all the outfits she’s wearing is by Rodarte. Even if you haven’t heard of Rodarte, you’ve probably seen their designs. Their fantastic creations have become popular on the red carpet; and they have many fans among beautiful celebrities, including Natalie Portman, Kirsten Dunst, and Dakota Fanning. It’s fascinating to realize that only 7 years ago, sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, who have no formal fashion training, had just launched their line, which was named after their mother’s maiden name.
Since 2005, Rodarte has won awards for their unique designs and known for their innovative fabrics. In 2008, they became the first women and first Americans to win the Swiss Textiles Award, one of fashion’s biggest monetary awards, worth 100,000 euros. In 2010, we saw Rodarte’s collaboration with the giant retailer, Target, sell out within days. Last year, Rodarte ventured into cinema, designing the costumes for the Oscar award winning movie starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, “Black Swan”. The sisters get their influences from different subjects in the arts. One season their inspiration was Japanese horror films and their latest collection was inspired by Van Gogh. The Mulleavys have changed the face of American couture fashion. They’ve been able to do what few have been able to do in a fickle industry. Rodarte designs have managed to reach a broad audience and remain the darling of fashion editors.