The Bite Magazine - Autmn/Winter 2020 - Issue 28

biteexhibition suggestive feature alluding to its ability to hold the dress to- gether and take it apart. Iris van Herpen’s innovative use of 3D printing technologies has placed her at the vanguard of fashion. Her 2012 black PVC dress was inspired by artist Philip Beesley’s 2010 Hy- lozoic Ground installation. The biomorphic shape of the dress reflects the classical notion of hylozoism that suggests that all matter is animate. In contrast to the fitted bodice, the skirt’s overlapping layers of black PVC undulate around the body like a living organism. The designer’s otherworldly silhouettes in her collection are reminiscent of Charles James’ fashions of the 1940s and 1950s. Her plastic lobed forms mimic the crescent-shaped puffs in Charles James’ 1951 ivory silk satin gown. The pioneering designer often modified and refined his designs over several years. He originally designed this silhouette supported by an excess of draped fabric at the front back of the hips in 1948, and it reached its greatest dimensions in 1951. Viktor & Rolf ’s Spring-Summer 2020 haute couture collec- tion is believed to be a direct response to the temporal accel- eration that has come to define fashion in the 21st century. “Like many designers, Viktor & Rolf have begun to embrace conscious creativity and move toward slow fashion with an emphasis on value, quality, and longevity,” as cited by curator Andrew Bolton. Since 2016, they have produced their haute couture designs from surplus fabric of past collections. Andrew Bolton added that for their Spring-Summer 2020 col- lection, Viktor & Rolf created a series of patchwork dresses from their archive of fabric swatches. “This dress is made up of samples of floral and geometric lace. It celebrates hand- craft and shared labour, and its simple silhouette recalls the pre-industrial era.” The patchwork design on the dress “seems to serve as an apt metaphor for the future of fashion and the importance of community, collaboration, and sustainability.” With many comparisons of timelines and designs, visitors will be in awe of the garments and the information given on each ensemble. The exhibition shows how influences are passed between past and present designers, and how fashion has changed from the 19th century until now. When you get the chance, pay a visit to the magnificent Met Fifth Avenue to see this glorious representation of fashion and duration. Please note that timed tickets are required to visit this exhibition. The Costume Institute’s About Time: Fashion and Duration exhibition is on the Met Fifth Avenue, 1000 Fifth Avenue, At 82nd Street, New York, NY 10028 until 7th February 2021. www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2020/about-time 9a. Timeline Dress, Iris Van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), fall/winter 2012–13 haute couture; Gift of Iris Van Herpen, in honor of Harold Koda, 2016 (2016.185). 8b. Interruption Dress, Nicolas Ghesquière (French, born 1971) for Louis Vuitton (French, founded 1854), spring/summer 2018; Courtesy Collection Louis Vuitton.