Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rooftop Garden, standing at British artist, Cornelia Parker's recreation from Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film, Psycho.

Perhaps it my annual trips to New York City when I was a child with my grandmother and or with the private all-girl’s high school I attended but it seems that the city that never sleeps is always calling me back. This time to see latest curated exhibit at the Anna Wintour Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
New York Calling

Or maybe because now that my daughter lives in New York City,  I feel compelled to visit and explore what Manhattan has to offer from a resident’s point of view.  We make every visit an adventure, taking all of the culture and art available to anyone ready to explore.

New York Calling
New York Calling: Location:  At the Rooftop Garden, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, standing at the British artist, Cornelia Parker’s recreation the Bates Motel from the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film, Psycho.  Wearing Maeve dress purchased last year from Anthropologie, J. Crew Factory Tassel Necklace, Vintage Chanel Straw Raffia Frame Bag from Fashionphile, Dolce Vita ‘Tegan” Peep Toe Mule and RayBan Mirrored Aviator Sunnies.

The History of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Since the Metropolitan Museum (The Met) was established in 1870 and the doors opened on February 20, 1872, millions of people visit each year.  It’s easy to understand the attraction of this museum; it is ranked number one nationally and number four globally.  The Met is the largest art museum in the United States.  It should be a must-see on everyone’s cultural bucket list.

My appreciation for art probably started as a youth.  When the private girl’s school that I attended in Philadelphia, visited New York City.  The itinerary always included lunch at Sardi’s, a Broadway play and one or two museums.  And my Nana used to take my cousin Tish and I to see the Rockette’s Christmas Show, then do some shopping.

My love of fashion is no different than most little girls, who love to play dress-up. Nothing has changed except that I’m a mature adult and I still enjoy fashion.

I attended The Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (now Philadelphia University.) My course of studies included textiles. One of my favorite classes was “Fabrics and Their Uses.”  It delved into materials, especially the natural fibers. I do believe this education contributed to my love, fascination, and love of natural textiles.

New York Calling: Manus x Machina book I purchased from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC.
New York Calling: Manus x Machina book I purchased from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC.

Perhaps you remember the earlier post I covered on the 2016 Met Gala. You know the invitation-only, $30,000 per person event? From May 2 until September 5, the regular fashion and art aficionados get the opportunity to ogle and understand the collaborations that exist between fashions being hand-made (manus) and machine-made (machina.)

Manus x Machina:  Fashion In An Age of Technology:

This theme at this year’s Costume Insitute, Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age of Technology as explained by Andrew Bolton, the resident curator at The Met.  “Manus x Machina (Hand x Machine) features exceptional fashions that reconcile traditional hand techniques with innovative man-made technologies such as 3-D printing, laser cutting, circular knitting, computer modeling, bonding and laminating and ultrasonic welding. Featuring 90 astonishing pieces, ranging from Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s iconic tweed suit to Karl Lagerfeld’s 3-D printed version, and from Yves Saint Laurent’s bird-of-paradise dress to Iris van Herpen’s silicone adaptation.

Karl Lagerfeld for House of Chanel, fall 2014 haute couture wedding dress was initially sketched by hand, then manipulated on the computer to create the appearance of a "pixelated baroque pattern," then handpainted with gold metallic pigment, then machine printed with rhinestones and finally hand-embroidered with pearls and gemstones. It took 450 hours of workmanship to create.
Karl Lagerfeld for House of Chanel, fall 2014 haute couture wedding ensemble was initially sketched by hand, then manipulated on the computer to create the appearance of a “pixelated baroque pattern,” then hand painted with gold metallic pigment, then machine printed with rhinestones and finally hand-embroidered with pearls and gemstones. It took 450 hours of workmanship to create.
The front of the Karl Lagerfeld wedding dress at the 2016 Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute's Manus x Machina exhibit.
The front view of the Karl Lagerfeld wedding ensemble at the 2016 Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute’s Manus x Machina exhibit.

The 2014 haute couture wedding dress by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel was the perfect show-stopping dress to set the tone of the what was to follow.  The dress design includes techniques by hand and technology by machine.

NEW YORK, NY - Guo Pei Gown. A view of atmosphere at "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala - Press Preview at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – Guo Pei Gown. A view of atmosphere at “China: Through The Looking Glass” Costume Institute Benefit Gala – Press Preview at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015, in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

Remember the 2015 Guo Pei  masterpiece dress from the record-breaking “China:  Through the Looking Glass?”  

2016 Costume Institute Exhibit:  Manus x Machina:
Six different trades (métiers) are featured:  Toiles (Pattern Making),Tailoring, Pleating/Folding, Lacework, Leatherwork, and Artificial Flowers.

Toiles:

New York Calling: Manus x Machina Met exhibit, Toile.
New York Calling: Manus x Machina Met exhibit, Toile.

Toiles, a french word translates as cloth or canvas.  A test garment or dressmaker pattern.

Tailoring:

INew York Calling: House of Chanel, 1963-68, Haute Couture Suit: machine-sewn ivory wool bouclé tweed, hand-applied navy and ivory wool knit trim hand-braided with interlocking chain stitch; blouse: machine-sewn silk broadcloth, machine-embroidered with bound pleats, hand-worked buttonholes.

 

New York Calling: Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Of Technology. House of Dior, Christian Dior (french, 1905-1957) Bar Suit Jacket, spring/summer 1947, Haute Couture Machine -swen beige tussore silk plain weave, hand-stitched bound buttonholes, hand-pad-stitched interlining.
New York Calling: Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Of Technology. House of Dior, Christian Dior (French, 1905-1957) Bar Suit Jacket, spring/summer 1947, Haute Couture Machine -sewn beige tussore silk plain weave, hand-stitched bound buttonholes, hand-pad-stitched interlining.

The House of Dior, 1947 Bar Suit, wonderful example of Haute Couture and machine-made garments especially tailoring.


Pleating:

Anyone remember American fashion designer, Mary McFadden, Queen of pleats?

New York Calling: Manus x Machina MET Exhibit. Mary McFadden example of "Pleating."
New York Calling: Manus x Machina MET Exhibit. Mary McFadden example of “Pleating.”  Evening ensembles, machine-pleated, hand-pieced panels, machine -sewn – and hand-stitched binding patterns.
New York Calling: House of Dior, spring/summer 2015, Haute Couture hand-pleated, machine-sewn white silk organdy, hand-embroidered with piece-dyed polychrome silk grosgrain ribbon, machine-sewn black wool-silk crepe; hand-finished.
New York Calling: House of Dior, spring/summer 2015, Haute Couture hand-pleated, machine-sewn white silk organdy, hand-embroidered with piece-dyed polychrome silk grosgrain ribbon, machine-sewn black wool-silk crepe; hand-finished.

Luxurious Lacework:

New York Calling: Manus x Machina, House of Chanel Evening Dress, 1937-1938, Haute Couture, Hand-sewn, machine-made black silk rayon lace, hand-shaped with wire and horsehair at sleeves; hand-attached, machine-sewn black rayon crepe liner; white linen floral corsage with die-cut, hand-embossed, and hand-assembled flowers.
New York Calling: Manus x Machina, House of Chanel Evening Dress, 1937-1938, Haute Couture, Hand-sewn, machine-made black silk rayon lace, hand-shaped with wire and horsehair at sleeves; hand-attached, machine-sewn black rayon crepe liner; white linen floral corsage with die-cut, hand-embossed, and hand-assembled flowers.
New York Calling: The oldest dress featured in the Manus x Machine Costume exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York Calling: The oldest dress featured in the Manus x Machine Costume exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1870 Irish wedding dress of hand-made crocheted cotton lace, designer unidentified.

Embroidery:

New York Calling: House of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Wedding Ensemble, autumn/winter 2005-6, Haute Couture Hand-sewn white silk tulle and organza, hand-embroidered with 2,500 white silk camellias by Lemarié, white gelatin sequins and hand-glued and stitched white ostrich feathers.
New York Calling: House of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Wedding Ensemble, autumn/winter 2005-6, Haute Couture Hand-sewn white silk tulle and organza, hand-embroidered with 2,500 white silk camellias by Lemarié, white gelatin sequins and hand-glued and stitched white ostrich feathers.

Leatherwork:

New York Calling, Toile
New York Calling, Leatherwork

 

Featherwork:

New York Calling: Yves Saint Laurent, Evening Dress, autumn/winter 1969-1970, Haute Couture Machine-sewn, hand-finished nude silk gauze, hand-glued with white, black, and brown bird-of-paradise feathers.
New York Calling: Yves Saint Laurent, Evening Dress, autumn/winter 1969-1970, Haute Couture Machine-sewn, hand-finished nude silk gauze, hand-glued with white, black, and brown bird-of-paradise feathers. Photo credit:  Nicholas Alan Cope.

 Artificial Flowers:

IMG_7434
New York Calling: Manus x Machina On the right: Louis Vuitton, spring/summer 2012, Prêt-à-Porter Dress: machine-sewn blue silk-polyester crinkle organza, hand-embroidered with laser-cut white and blue plastic flowers, grometed with clear crystals and silver metal studs, hand-finished; slip: machine-sewn white polyester organdy with machine-dome broderie anglaise flowers.

 

The Garden Rooftop at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

New York Calling: British artist, Cornelia Parker's 30 feet high sculpture atop the Garden Roof at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
New York Calling: British artist, Cornelia Parker’s 30 feet high sculpture atop the Garden Roof at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  Photo credit:  WMagazine.com
Cornelia Parker's illusionary structure atop the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Garden Rooftop.
Cornelia Parker’s illusionary structure atop the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Garden Rooftop.  Photo:  DesignBoom.


Since there are space limitations on the island, New Yorkers do an excellent job finding ways to build-up.  My millennial knew about the Garden Rooftop at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Here, a fabulous place to view the city’s skyline, relax with libations and admire British artist, Cornelia Parker’s large-scale sculpture of the Bates Motel from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 Psycho film while overlooking Central Park.

According to the Met Museum website, the nearly 30 feet high, the sculpture is fabricated from a deconstructed red barn and seems at first to be a real house, but in fact, a scaled-down structure consisting of two facades propped up from behind with scaffolding.  Simultaneously authentic and illusory, Transitional Object (Psycho Barn) evokes the psychological association embedded in the architectural spaces.

When I heard the name of this year’s Costume Exhibit titled, Manus x Machina, I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant. Luckily the forward from the book, Manus x Machina:  Fashion In An Age of Technology, Andrew Bolton, author and curator in charge of the Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, best explains the reasoning behind the name.

A direct quote from Andrew Bolton, “One might be forgiven for thinking that the title of this book and exhibition – Manus x Machina – was inspired by Alex Garland’s movie Ex Machina (2015), a psycho-techno thriller about men and the machines they create.  It was in fact, inspired by an earlier science-fiction film with a similar Frankensteinian narrative arc – Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927).  The movie stars – and -ends with the epigram:  ‘The mediator between the HEAD and HANDS must be the heart.”  Given Lang’s dystopian vision of technology, the epigram could quite easily have been rephrased:  “The mediator between the Hand and the Machine must be the heart.’  In fact, the entire plot of Metropolis, like that of Ex Machina, unfolds as a dialectical treatise on man versus machine”.

Got it!

Ladies, are you inspired by this post?  Is New York calling your name to visit this showcase before it closes on September 5th?  The exhibit includes over 50 designers and 170 ensembles.  Let me know if you attend.  I would love to compare notes.

Have a fabulous week?

Siggy