an article by ASHLEY LARAMIE illustrations by Alex Brickman
Fashionistas everywhere, remember those endless hours you spent drooling over the Alexander McQueen exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art? Well get ready to contribute a chunk of your mind to daydreams of Museum Mile once again this spring, because The Met’s upcoming exhibition, Punk: Chaos to Couture has a lineup that rivals any predecessors! The exhibition will focus on how the DIY world of the punk movement has had such a large, and almost ironic influence on haute couture and ready to wear. With Anna Wintour and Rooney Mara serving as co-chairs, and over one hundred featured designs from the 1970s onward, this is a project that’s sure to gain hype from the fashion and music worlds alike. To get you jazzed and inspired for the upcoming event, here is a breakdown of the highlights of the upcoming exhibition! So many crowd favouritesincluding Alexander McQueen, Ann Demeulemeester, Junya Watanabe, Yohji Yamamoto, Marc Jacobs, and Martin Margiela- will be featured in the Punk Couture gallery, showing how hardware elements have made their way into the collections of high fashion designers while also proving punk to be not only a dedication to the ‘streets’. This collection will be a huge testament to the transition punk style has made into the modern world, metamorphosing from its birth in the ‘70s, but still maintaining classic elements of rebellion and deconstruction.
PUNK’D
The Met will devote a section to the biggest punk icons of the London and New York music scene in the 1970s, appropriately named Rebel Heroes. From The Clash- with their tailored suits mixed with Doc Martens, to The Ramones- who favoured distressed denim, Converse, and the perfect badass leather jacket! The exhibition would not be complete without an entire gallery dedicated to the queen and king of punk- Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren. Their love story is one for the ages- he was the manager of the Sex Pistols, and designed clothing for the New York Dolls; she wanted nothing more than to exert rebellion into the garments she crafted, and was a main player in London’s punk scene. Together, they were the true founders of what the media dubbed “punk rock” style, using leather, safety pins, and razor blades to translate inspiration gathered from bikers and prostitutes into shocking looks sold at their iconic boutique at 430 King’s Road in London. In addition, expect to see original DIY garments straight out of London, featuring authentic deconstruction and customization, and audio and visual multimedia to accompanythe clothing, including classicmusic videos. Inspired to channel your inner Sid Vicious? This season, mix elements of updated punk style in with your current wardrobe. Stud and zipper details reign supreme in the hardware department, and can be incorporated to any look. Heavy, lace up boots are also wardrobe staples- whether it be a pair of chic moto-boots, floral Doc Martens, or studded Jeffrey Campbell Litas. Add in a tongue-in-cheek graphic jumper from Wildfox, and you’ll be looking like a CBGB’s regular in no time!
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