On view until November 6, the showcase brings together “iconic looks by legendary designers and rising stars alongside historical treasures and acclaimed artworks”
Launched at the Victoria and Albert Museum on March 19, Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear is an unprecedented exhibition exploring the complexity and cultural influence of masculine attire and appearance. Through the analysis of its innate power, artistry and diversity, the showcase traces the evolution of menswear over the centuries so as to reflect on how masculinity has been constructed and performed by designers, tailors and artists, and subsequently ‘sewed’ into society’s collective imagination.
Spread across three thematic galleries, Fashioning Masculinities comprises around 100 looks and 100 artworks, all centring around men’s fashion. Juxtaposing contemporary looks by pioneering designers and stars in the making, the exhibition encourages a conversation between the old and new conceptions of masculinities. A dialogue that is further reflected in the display of some of the V&A’s historical treasures and landmark loans — from classical sculptures and Renaissance paintings to powerful film and performance.
Bringing together some of the most influential artworks from the plastic art tradition, including Apollo Belvedere and the Farnese Hermes, along with the creations of today’s culture-defining artists — from David Hockney to Zanele Muholi — and avant-garde fashion designers, including Jean-Paul Gaultier, JW Anderson, Alessandro Michele, Priya Alhuwalia and Alexander McQueen, the exhibition aims at highlighting and celebrating the multiple facets of masculine sartorial self-expression, dressing beyond the binary.
