The festivities surrounding the opening of “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan remain vivid in the mind.
WAG was among those attending the May 2 press preview of the exhibition of The Costume Institute of The Met. It was an event memorable for both its high level of excitement (the preview was held the morning of The Met Gala, the annual star-studded benefit) and the introduction to the swoon-inducing fashions filling two floors of the Robert Lehman Wing.
We delighted in the ensembles from Chanel to Christian Dior, Issey Miyake to Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen to Yves Saint Laurent (and many, many more) and featured the exhibition in both this newsletter and our June issue.
Clearly, others since have been equally captivated – and The Met has taken note. We’ve just learned that the exhibition, originally set to conclude Aug. 14, has been extended. It will run through Sept. 5, giving more fashionistas (and repeat fashionistas) more time to examine the ever-changing relationship between clothing and accessories made by hand versus those made by machine.
“With the transformation of the Robert Lehman Wing into a breathtaking cathedral to couture, we want to give as many people as possible the chance to experience this exhibition,” said Thomas P. Campbell, director and CEO of The Met, in a release. “The show invites visitors to explore the artistry of over 170 haute couture and ready-to-wear ensembles. It is a wonderful way to discover the magic behind the making of fashion.”
In its first nine weeks, “Manus x Machina” has drawn more than 350,000 visitors, the release reported. To date, the attendance is just behind “China: Through the Looking Glass” (2015) and “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” (2011), the Met’s fifth and eighth most popular exhibitions respectively, both of which were also extended. All three were curated by Andrew Bolton, now curator in change of The Costume Institute.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the “MetFridays: Extreme Measures” event, set for 5 to 9 p.m. July 22, will feature related activities, including a special “Drop-in Drawing” session, with live models wearing clothing inspired by the exhibition, a wearable art-making program on creating extreme hair accessories and a participatory nail art workshop.
For more, visit metmuseum.org/ManusxMachina. – Mary Shustack
