The Met Gala 2016 exhibition “Manus x Machina” has inspired us and so have the guests attending the opening— Beyoncé in Givenchy, Blake Lively in Burberry, Jenna Lyons & Lenna Dunham all ‘tuxed’ up. Makes us want to find our own ensemble to go and adore the new age of fashion at the Met as well. Because that’s what this exhibit is, a place of worship.
Karl Lagerfield’s wedding dress design for the House of Chanel’s 2005-6 collection sits inside a glass case on the upper level gallery, exhibiting a couturier’s perfection using artificial flowers in haute couture. Each room you walk through represents a type of artisanship in fashion design. One room is an homage to feathers, another of embroidery, and on and on you go silently revering the minds, hands, and machines that created such beauty.
It’s only natural that the museum was turned into a cathedral to honor these works. Here you find the kind of practical artwork that represents an era where machines made access to fashion more attainable to the populace than any other era can claim. And that’s why we have picked out our own ensemble to go and revere at the altar of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts’ Robert Lehman Wing.
And you? When you go… what will you be wearing?
MAISON MARGIELA Mirrored-leather sandals $1,550; THE ROW The Sling horse hair-trimmed textured-leather shoulder bag $3,150; LEMAIRE Asymmetric cashmere scarf $740; JACQUEMUS Asymmetric stretch-cotton poplin mini dress $515; ISABEL MARANT Jada metallic coated cotton-blend skinny pants $440; SOPHIE BUHAI Wilke silver cuff $1,750
Words by Lindsey Alexander