Fashion is art. You may have heard many people say this, debate over this, and even argue about it time and time again, but it is true. Fashion is an art form, one that has become so successful commercially that, compared to the other disciplines, it has garnered its own industry. Although fashion itself has changed over the years, the fact that it's an art form has not. Especially since there are countless museums that display fashion and regard it as priceless as paintings and sculptures. In New York alone, the US fashion capital, there are a handful of museums that every fashion-lover would want to visit!
The Museum at FIT
The Fashion Institute of Technology (or 'FIT') in New York is one of the most prestigious fashion design schools in the world. It rivals even those in Paris, Milan, and other fashion capitals. So it only makes sense that its own museum, The Museum at FIT, is a must-see for any fashion-lover in New York. Although there are other museums in the city that also display clothes, what separates The Museum at FIT is that it's solely devoted to fashion. From the works of famous designers to exhibits that deconstruct the industry, there's a lot to learn about fashion in this museum.
Source: The Museum at FIT Facebook Page
Museum of Arts and Design
More than a commercial industry and art form, fashion is also a craft. There are many ways to make a dress, to tailor a suit, to construct an accessory, and so on. There are many ways to dye fabric, achieve. certain hue, create different patterns, and so on. And there are also countless ways to photograph fashion, market it successfully, and ensure that they leave long-lasting impressions that may even shake pop culture to its very core. All of the technological aspects of fashion are shown in the Museum of Arts and Design. While The Museum of FIT is more about the finished product, this museum details how a garment is created, presented, and makes it mark in fashion history.
Source: MAD | Museum of Arts and Design Facebook Page
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
No list of fashion museums in New York is complete without the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or more commonly known as 'The MET.' Thanks to the annual red-carpet phenomenon that is the MET Gala, America's 'Superbowl of Fashion,' it's become the most famous museum among fashion and pop culture lovers alike. The MET's most famous feature is, of course, its Costume Institute which hosts yearly exhibitions that set the theme for the highly-anticipated annual gala. Its themes have varied throughout many facets of fashion and beyond, ranging from the Roman Catholic church to prominent designers like
Alexander McQueen and Miuccia
Prada.
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art Facebook Page
Museum of Modern Art
Since the fashion industry banks on its ever-changing modernity, it makes sense that New York's own Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) also features fashion. But don't expect the same classical grandeur as in The MET's Costume Insitute. Instead of displaying famous works of centuries-old
haute couture houses and established brands, the MoMa focuses its attention on contemporary
American designers, revolutionary French labels, and the like. Their displays deconstruct fashion more than what it looks like but more so its role as a strong force in pop culture and the changing times. 'Modern' doesn't even begin to describe this museum's intellectual approach to presenting fashion.
Source: MoMA PS1 Facebook Page
Cooper Hewitt
The fashion exhibitions at New York's Cooper Hewitt museum, both temporary and permanent, is a mix of what the other places on this list present. Just like The Museum at FIT and The MET, the gallery has highlighted many of the iconic works that have changed the industry and how people dressed over time. But similarly to MoMA and the Museum of Art and Design, it has also chronicled the underpinnings of fashion and the driving forces that have helped make it a billion-dollar industry today. Simply put, fashion-lovers have a lot to look forward to at the Cooper Hewitt museum.
Source: Cooper Hewitt Facebook Page
Brooklyn Museum
Now, if you want showstopping exhibitions on fashion but you want to get away from the hustles and bustles of the
districts of Manhattan, there's always the Brooklyn Museum. In this trendy borough of the Big Apple, this famous gallery has long hosted countless exhibitions, both local and international. As of the moment, you can see the world-famous 'Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams' exhibit up until February 20, 2022. You won't want to miss the dazzling couture creations of
Christian Dior and the many prolific designers that have held the reins of the fashion house after his sudden passing in 1957. And it's grand fashion exhibitions like these that have made Brooklyn Museum a heavy favorite for art and fashion-lovers alike!
Source: Brooklyn Museum Facebook Page
There's more to what makes New York such a prominent fashion capital apart from the famous designers and its popular Fashion Week. A handful of the city's museums also showcase the best of the best of the industry and beyond!
It'd be convenient if you got a
luxury home that's near to any of these amazing fashion museums in New York!
