Blogging at the Metropolitan Museum

When the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute announced their new show, “blog.mode: addressing fashion,” my thoughts went to Cher Horowitz in the movie “Clueless,” taking Poloroids of herself in every outfit, to see how she looked. In a ploy that beats asking one's husband, a second opinion from the blogosphere makes sense. On the day the press was invited to view the exhibition, no one could quite explain how all the computers set up for commentary actually worked, but it didn't seem to matter. The fashions, recent acquisitions of haute couture, spoke for themselves. Many genres, eras were represented: Paul Poiret's 1913 “Theatre des Champs-Elysees” time to undergarments of the 19th century to 2002 go go style polka dot boots, a collaboration from the minds of Manolo Blahnik and Damien Hirst. My personal faves came all in one gallery (1921-99): Coco Chanel's embroidered ensemble illustrated an early shift from hand-done needlework to machine work, detected (with, I could only imagine an imperious sniff) by Karl Lagerfeld when he first lifted the garment's hem. A 1947 dress made of a fabric printed in a Dali motif, light blue rayon crepe with pink, black, and gray references Elsa Schiaparelli's collaborations with the famed Surrealist, but Gilbert Adrian gave it a signature twist, inserting an inverse dark profile at the gown's left shoulder. Schiaparelli's multi-colored felted wool coat from her spring 1939 collection, titled “A Modern Comedy” after the 18th century commedia dell'arte, was a gift from the actress Ruth Ford, the sister of poet, painter, “the first American Surrealist,” Charles Henri Ford. Having had a long career in theater and film, originating the role of Estelle in “No Exit,” for example, she still resides at the Dakota. And me, what could I wear? Paul Poiret's 1913 “Theatre des Champs-Elysees” gown with its ivory silk damask, ivory silk tulle, ivory China silk with double bands of lead-crystal rhinestones at the waist and asymmetrical hem. If possible, I'd like to wear it to a ball on the Champs Elysees.

Regina Weinreich                            Graphic Design: SalpeterVentura