People all over the world use fashion and clothing to express themselves and their identity. People’s fashion sense and how they dress is a major way to reveal and showcase their lifestyle as well as their culture. Every piece of clothing that we buy represents our very own personal choice and taste. Tradition is also passed down through the way that clothing is made. Certain traditions can be expressed through patterns, colors, designs, as well as fabrics. Our communities and cultures are deeply ingrained with the materials, processes, and methods used in the making of goods.

Going to the Food and Fashion Exhibition at the museum at FIT deeply altered my way of thinking about how both food and fashion have a significant connection that are central to our daily lives. They express our unique and cultural identities while simultaneously speaking to people’s most basic needs. The exhibition greatly looks into the ways in which food-related themes and concepts are used to make statements about a range of important subjects including, body politics, social activism, sustainability, gender, luxury and consumerism. The work of a number of well known designers were displayed. Items from accessories, dresses, to undergarments were put on view in order to present and bring awareness to major concepts and ideas.

As I roamed around the exhibit, the work of a designer named Judith Leiber caught my attention. The exhibit showcased three dessert-inspired handbags. Her handbags were made and disguised as bejeweled pink donuts or ice cream treats. These luxurious handbags spoke to recurring tropes connecting sweets and femininity. Their luxury status relates to elite indulgences in both food as well as fashion. Leiber was a Hungarian-American fashion designer and businesswoman who was well known for her fanciful crystal handbags that were encrusted with beads that were formed into shapes of food and other everyday objects. Her handbags were created with demanding attention to detail and flawless hand craftsmanship. Some of Leiber’s collections can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.