ITEMS: IS FASHION MODERN?

Carlota Lopez
Jan 18, 2018
3 min read

Last week, as some of you may know, I went to New York with my course from uni. I was really forward to go to MoMA but I only had the chance in my last day. The tickets are a bit expansiva but it is completely worth it.

Is Fashion Modern is the questions that we are asked and through all the exposition I was battling myself trying to find an answer. It is and it is not modern at the same time. Fashion has existed for centuries now, since the Egyptian Fashion has been with us making it a very old "thing", not at all modern. But in other hand is something that does not stop evolving, the creativity just flows through people, through places, through years. It is something that we can not control, the designers that exist, the GREAT ones, can't be stopped. BUT AGAIN, Fashion is a cicle, a lot of clothes that were in the exposition made 40 years ago are now a trend again. Hell, the Stan Smith sneakers, the Puffer Jacket, the Sweatshirts! Let's face it, Fashion is the most modern thing that exists and at the same time the least modern. Fashion is timeless, this is what I love about it.

With nearly 350 objects on display, the visitors are led by corridors filled with dreams and inspiration to take home (I wish I could also take the clothes LOL).

"It's not about the names, it's not about the styles, it's about objects that stand in for whole periods, for whole issues, so that was the declaration of intent."

From berets to bandannas, and burkas to bikinis it is actually easier to think about what is NOT in there.

From the begin to the end it is possible to see an evolution not only in the clothes but also in bodies, culture and ways of life.

In the middle of all these items we can clearly found landmarks from our modern world: the graphic t-shirt THE FUTURE IS FEMALE, leather pants, Dr. Martens, fanny packs, the famous Stan Smith sneakers, Flip Flops, biker jackets and the white Calvin Klein slip dress immortalized in Clueless.

For those who think that Fashion is only about clothes, my dears, you are so wrong. Fashion is everything that surrounds us. This includes acessories and everything that makes us presentable. Part of the exposition is nail art, creams, make up, tattoos, surgical masks and a lot more. it is not a superficial thing. Just with a piece of clothing we can tell a whole story, clothes mark great events.

"Fashion tells our stories, and as long as we keep wearing what we are wearing, the stories will continue to be told."

I really loved to see the way sports entered everyone's life. Sneakers used to for those who played any kind of sports but nowadays who is the freak that don't own a pair of Nike or All Stars?

There is also a small section with luxury items (A Hermes Birkin handbag, a Tiffany diamond and a Rolex watch) that is spectacular and, through the exposition old advertisements.

Some of the topics explored by the exposition are really important. The role of women in Society, diseases like HIV, stereotypes, racism or whether should we cover our bodies or not.