On November 7th of this year, I went to see “Force of Nature,” an exhibit at the Museum at FIT that examined the relationship between fashion and nature. Displaying clothing and accessories, spanning from the eighteenth century up until today, “Force of Nature” was divided into groups of garments that took inspiration from different facets of nature.
A broad term, nature encompasses all types of sciences. Ecology, biology and physics, all make up our natural world and can be depicted by fashion designers in a variety of ways. In “Force of Nature,” garments and accessories with floral and animal prints were featured prominently throughout the exhibit. Additionally, clothing inspired by metamorphosis, the space age and the movement of water were placed strategically throughout the room.

Featured Animal Prints

After walking through the exhibit, viewers were exposed to fashion through the lens of a designer. Much like traditional artists, fashion designers view their work as a way in which to convey an array of messages. Sometimes designs can express the mood of the times. For example, one long-sleeved black A-line dress from the 1950’s (think space race) bore an exquisite silver design that imitated a shimmering galaxy of stars.

This black A-line dress from the 1950s imitates a shimmering galaxy of stars and captures the allure of space travel.

At other times, designs can showcase concepts such as transformation. For instance, the metamorphosis-inspired designs (think delicate butterfly prints) that were on display were aesthetically pleasing but also served as a way for designers to impart their desire to transform the body and notions of beauty. Essentially, “Force of Nature” effectively proved that by taking inspiration from nature, fashion designers can bring what they consider crucial issues to the forefront.

In terms of arrangement, the exhibit was fluid and clear. Each section contained similar pieces so that it was obvious that multiple designers were influenced by similar aspects of nature. In the same vein, every section felt like it related back to the overall theme of the exhibit: nature. Nothing seemed out of place or unrelated to the other pieces on display.

Furthermore, every piece displayed was accompanied by information explaining its’ connection to nature, in case the relationship was not evident to the viewer. This information was provided tastefully. By this I mean, that the whole display was set up so that the clothing was the focal point. The garments were positioned in a way so that the viewer’s eyes naturally fell upon them first. This layout gave visitors time to contemplate the relationship between the clothing and nature before they chose (if they wanted to) to read up on the connection. In addition, each section had an interactive electronic device that supplied brief, interesting and on point supplementary facts about the time period, history and designs of the clothing and accessories exhibited.

All in all, “Force of Nature” was an informative, fun and quick exhibit that left average viewers with a good sense of how nature inspires fashion designers to design original pieces of clothing that are beautiful and thought provoking.