We stopped by the Global Fashion Capitals exhibition now on display in FIT’s very own Fashion & Textile History Gallery last week. Capitals featured looks from well-known cities, such as New York and London, but also featured work from up and coming captials, such as Seoul, Mexico City, and Istanbul. The great lengths our museum staff went through to curate such a well-balanced collection was notable, especially since the fashion industry tends to put such an extreme focus on European countries, while nations attempting to establish themselves in the industry lose the spotlight. In that way, it is such an inspiration to view all the work from such different cultures in one room, and to be able to see the differences that environment make. Although, there was an overwhelming sense of modernity and youth that comes only from showcasing the designs of artists growing along with our “technological age”. Of course, the historical pieces cannot be forgotten either. One could observe the development of nation’s style and influence as the decades went on. To be able to see vintage designs from Paris and compare them to the ever-sleek aesthetic from Seoul embodied the point of the exhibition: “to broaden the understanding of what constitutes a “fashion capital” and to expand the dialogue on the globalization of the fashion industry during the 21st century.”
The runway show which accompanied the exhibition and took place on October 13, took this message even further by showcasing the current work from designers from four of the cities displayed in the museum: Seoul, Berlin, Istanbul, and Mexico City. The stunning collections was followed by a panel which interviewed the designers on how these cities aspire to establish themselves in a global market and compete with fashion houses that have existed for decades. The fact that we are hosting this discussion is such an important idea: we as an industry should be more aware of art coming from all parts of the world, rather than just the same regions. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a trend that will bring these cities into the spotlight. It was such a pleasure to recognize these up-and-coming artists, and to be a part of a conversation bigger than New York, bigger than Europe, but that now includes a new generation with voices from all over the world.
ICON Magazine 