Category: Blog Posts (Page 2 of 6)

In the 20th century, women usually were only allowed to work in the textile or clothing industry where they would be paid lower wages than men. However, during World War 2, women were allowed to work in the labor-force and fill in men’s jobs during wartime. This unfortunately changed when men came back from the war and resumed their jobs. Women were disrespected and were forced to go back home and resume their domestic housewife activities of baking and sewing. This in turn sparked the start of the Women’s liberation movement in order to change the traditional culture. 

At the FIT Museum, Food and Fashion exhibit, women’s roles in society were portrayed through the usage of a food, most commonly the cake, to demonstrate how women were expected to be seen as girly and sweet. Examples of this are seen through Nancy Haggerty’s, “Embellished pumps” (1932), Balenciaga’s “Organdy and lace hat with pink roses” (1955), and Bergdorf Goodman’s “Lace pillbox hat with pink bow” (1965) where all three decorate accessories with ruffles, beading, and embroidery. The decorations represent piping designs and frothy layers that resemble a cake that connected women to being sweet, dainty, and cute. This perception was fueled by the roles women were expected to have during that century and used sewing techniques and pastries, common activities of women who had to stay at home. These pieces show the evolution of formality and femininity pre-war and how women made a breakthrough in the fashion industry despite mens callousness. 

Cultural representation can be expressed in fashion in various ways. Through these pieces at the museum, I was able to interpret the breakthrough of women’s role and presence in the 20th century where women branched away from traditional values of being a stay at home wife/mom and decided to fight for equality in the work industry and society. These pieces used traditional colors and aspects of women, like pink and cake, to show the generalization of women and what they were expected to be. Additionally, these pieces used traditional activities of women, like sewing and baking, to make a complex creation that would be unexpected of a woman to do in a mens view.

In a society where consumerism is an essential part of our everyday lives, we are always thinking about the next best thing to be invented. However, many companies are realizing that some of the best concepts may not come from the future. Instead, they have reverted to the past and are reviving stereotypes that once dominated the world.

One piece that stood out to me at the FIT exhibition was a black dress adorned with bouquets of pasta tied by red ribbons with the words “Pasta Italiana Dolce & Gabbana Made in Italy.” Many of the other displays attempted to shock their audience, whether it was through the use of skimpy materials to reflect our materialism or through seemingly out-of-place partnerships with fast food chains. Dolce and Gabanna, on the other hand, not only recognized the stereotypes associated with Italian culture but also used it to inspire their collection. At first glance, accepting and using these stereotypes may seem like a mundane and overly-used depiction of the Italian identity, the crossover between fashion, food, and decoration represents new and emerging ideas of what it means to be Italian in a consumerist society.

We’ve all seen pieces of our own cultural backgrounds and identities become displays for the world to buy into. For me, “Russian nesting dolls” are used as metaphors in classrooms and sold in stores on many corners. These kinds of examples popularize cultures while simultaneously associating our culture with a very particular feature that we have to offer to the world. Dolce and Gabanna as a brand is taking advantage of the stereotypes associated with being Italian, including a love for pasta. The intersection of clothing and food with a touch of culture represents the fact that in today’s society, culture is glorified and glamorized, and that it can be consumed, it can be worn, it can be passed along, and it can be bought. It sends us a message to be conscious of our consumption and mindful of the way we treat culture. It serves as a reminder that culture is not something to be worn out but rather that it must be preserved and celebrated in a society focused on the best way to maximize profits.

When I first heard about the Food and Fashion Exhibit at the FIT Museum, I was honestly a little confused. I didn’t think the two were connected and couldn’t recall seeing an article of clothing that highlighted this idea–until I went home and looked in my closet. Whether it’s a summer dress with a lemon pattern or a graphic tee plastered with strawberries, these concepts are very present in today’s society and have been present in fashion history.

One piece in the exhibit that drew my attention was the Campbell Soup dress, or “The Souper Dress.” The Campbell Soup Company created this dress in the 1960s, and the repetitive soup pattern draws inspiration from Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans. But hidden behind the unconventional design and pops of color, is the theme of consumerism. I was surprised to learn that the dress is made of paper, and the tag even reads “no cleaning– no washing–It’s Carefree/ Fire Resistant Unless Washed or Cleaned.” This wasn’t meant to be a timeless piece, it was meant for innovative advertising and fashion that could be easily accessed, in this case through sending in Campbell’s coupons. Similar to Warhol’s inspiration that soup cans are relatable and recognizable for everyone, the cheap cost of paper dresses promoted inclusivity and fashion for everyone but promoted unsustainable fashion as well. AftThe rise of the hippie movement exposed the waste and pollution created by paper dresses, a major reason why the trend became obsolete.

History seems to repeat itself, and it seems like today’s emergence of fast fashion is the 1960s paper dress equivalent. Social media has given rise to “microtrends,” which last anywhere from a couple of months to a year. Now, consumers opt for cheaper, lower-quality pieces that can easily be replaced when a new trend comes along. Fast fashion has serious impacts on the environment as well as on small businesses and child labor practices, which are being exposed online constantly. Does this mean fast fashion will become as obsolete as paper dresses?

Our society is moving at rapid paces, always on the move. Especially in the city, where people are always rushing to go places and always looking for “fast” for the convenience of time. Fast food, fast fashion. A relevant theme in this FIT Food and Fashion exhibit that highlights some of the social issues that we have.

From, McDonald’s to White Castle to cup ramen to Coca Cola, fast food has made its presence throughout the exhibit. But what caught my eye was the display Karl Lagerfeld’s diet book and his own personally designed limited edition Coca Cola bottle. As an iconic figure in the fashion industry, he has worked with Chanel, Fendi, Chloé, Balmain, and Patou. Yet, he was also famously known to have lost 80 pounds in 2001 when he was inspired by the slim menswear silhouette designed by Hedi Slimane of Dior Homme. With his dietitian, Dr. Jean-Claude Houdret, they worked together to develop a diet that consisted of “expensive protein packets and meager bits of food” along with ten Diet Cokes a day. This is a very unhealthy diet, but it reflects how the fashion industry’s thin ideal has shaped people to do insane things. In addition to that. Lagerfeld has also made many fatphobic comments in his life to the press. The display of his book and his Coca Cola bottle shows the extents that people were determined to fit in with the fashion trends of being skinny. It is also ironic how fast food is usually viewed as highly processed and high in calorie foods but is also used in a diet that promotes for the ideal of being thin. This made me think of how a lot of the Asian fashion industries are also promoting a thin ideal when they make their clothing sizes relatively smaller than it is made here in the US. 

In Rick Owens’ exhibit displaying the logo of the United Farm Workers, he displays the struggles faced by Mexican immigrants. On a symbolic level, Rick Owens shows the often overlooked process of gathering fresh produce that involves the labor of farmers, painting an ominous picture of their mistreatment. This piece directly correlates to Rick Owens values of gender identity and the mistreatment of Mexican immigrant. In a sense, his piece seems not to be tailored towards one gender over the other, but more towards emphasizing a universal message.

Overall, his representation of immigrant struggles comes through in his presentation of the United Farm Workers logo, an organization that is known to advocate for immigrant farmers. Through Owens choice of representing the United Farm Workers association by means of a logo, he sends an explicit message about the struggles that are often overlooked in the process of attaining everyday foods. His interest in contrasting the informal T-Shirt containing the logo of the United Farm Workers with the formal attire of a Suit is meant to represent the dissonance between different modes of normality and formality.

Furthermore, Owens’ lack of direction in the categorization of genders is synonymous with his fluid gender identity. This lack of gender identity catalyzes the universal message he’s trying to portray in the sense that it is applicable to anyone. In that sense, Owens’ design choices contribute to an inclusive theme facilitated by deliberate choices in the realm of gender identity. A sense of Rick Owens’ personality also shines through the piece, highlighting his experience as a bisexual man.

In conclusion, Rick Owens’ design choices greatly influence surrounding narratives of immigrants and the mistreatment of farmers while also revealing a sense of identity that stems from within Rick Owens’ gender identity. His piece really reveals the importance of facilitating a cause despite the overwhelming obstacles within his way.

I’ve always associated food as a medium that tells stories of people’s cultures, family histories, and experiences, so I enjoyed how the exhibit Food and Fashion at the FIT Museum challenged my thinking by creating an unconventional relationship between food, gender, and sexualization. In the exhibit, clothing adorned with fruit, desserts, and other culinary items was a way to make a statement about social issues regarding the objectification and sexualization of women. 

For example, the chocolate bar dress designed by Jeremy Scott emphasizes how eating and engaging in sexual behaviors is driven by the shared force of desire. I interpreted the dress as both a nod to the pursuit of women and aggressive consumerism because of the Hershey’s logo. Hershey’s is a household name, and it is a huge chocolate brand, catching people’s attention. Wrapping yourself in a Hershey’s wrapper would represent succumbing to consumerism but also being an object of desire. Also, the form-fitting design is meant to emphasize certain aspects of the female body that society tends to value.

It was also interesting how certain pieces were in conversation with each other, such as the package of “Candy’s Bikini,” which was placed next to a design of abbreviated swim trunks by Versace. The package of the edible bikini seemed to take the notion of direct sexualization to an extreme- saying “Now you can have yours and eat it too!” – almost placing responsibility on women to wear it and represent themselves as desirable, pleasant, and inviting. On the other hand, Versace countered this with short and tight swim trunks featuring motifs of fertility through flowers, butterflies, and fruits. Placing these pieces together diverts the viewer’s gaze and forces them to think about men with a consuming eye, ultimately questioning why men are perceived differently.

Usually when I think about food, fashion is the last thing that comes to mind. Food is a different realm compared to clothes in my mind. However, after visiting the FIT museum to see the Food and Fashion exhibit, I began to realize how much of a connection there was between food and fashion as well as the relationship between those two and larger social issues.

A specific piece that caught my eye was a beautiful dress that was made up of multiple ruching in the section of the pastry desserts. It was a piece that could be described as “girly”. It had multiple frills and ruffles, the color was a cream with a pastel pink tint, and it was a dress. As I examined the accessories that were placed right next to the dress, I realized that there was a similar theme. The color scheme remained the same, a creamish color with pops of pink. The design was one that could be considered delicate, with small and intricate details. All very “girly” pieces. After reading the descriptions alongside the pieces, I started to make the connections between gender issues and fashion. “Words such as “sweet,” “dainty,” or “frothy,” are terms used to describe both delectable pastries and women’s garments.” The more I thought about it, the similarity between pastry desserts and women’s garments/fashion were brought to my mind. Not only were the colors and words that describe both similar, the decorative element was a main resemblant. Both pastries and women’s garments are thoroughly decorated, creating intricate designs that make each subject look the most prettiest it can. The outdated idea of how women were the ones who belonged in the kitchen creating these desserts had reflected into the fashion trends and intertwined into our society in ways that we did not realize. 

Fashion is an incredibly personal and versatile art form that everyone takes part in, whether or not they truly realize it. Even if a person gives no thought to what they wear on a day to day basis, they are making stylistic choices each day. With this being said, fashion is also a means of expressing oneself and can convey countless messages to others. Many high fashion brands prioritize the vision and artistic aspect of their pieces over the comfort and practicality. More commonly, clothing can also represent cultural traditions which have been passed down for many generations and impact the cultural norms and trends in different regions around the world. 

In the FIT Food and Fashion exhibit, there is a Moschino chocolate bar gown from the fall 2014 collection, which gives the illusion of a Hershey bar wrapped into a dress silhouette. In the fall 2014 collection, Moschino’s main motif was food, which also included pieces inspired by the fast food chain McDonald’s. While a brand’s collections are often a direct reflection of the current creative director’s visions, Moschino is known for their confidence in incorporating bold colors, prints, and themes into their work. This was former creative director Jeremy Scott’s first collection for the fashion house and set the stage for all of the playful collections that followed. Rather than focusing on elegance and functionality, Scott chose to convey the message of consumerism in society through a collection that was not at all anticipated. The goal was not to showcase a series of functional clothes that could be worn on a daily basis, which became evident as soon as the show began. American snacks and fast food were mainly represented throughout the pieces, which also tie into American consumer culture. Although he came dangerously close to copyright infringement on numerous occasions throughout this collection, making it abundantly obvious to the audience what was being portrayed, this all played a role in making it a collection to remember. 

Fashion is a way that people can express themselves in the form of clothing. It allows for a persons feelings and ideas to be illustrated by not only being seen by others but also by being worn. Rick Owens is one such fashion designer that comes to mind when it comes to expressing feelings about culture and fashion. He is bisexual and shows himself through his fashion choices.

One of Rick Owens’ works that has caught my attention would be how he expressed his Mexican culture through his Spring 2020 Tecuatl collection. This piece of artwork involved him working with the United Farm Workers of America to feature their iconic Eagle Mark logo, which is a reference to Aztec designs. These designs help to highlight the importance of immigrant farm workers especially during the global pandemic. This sense of fashion brings into light how the lives of farmers and their farming culture was negatively affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also involves past cultural references to the Aztecs, which brings out the aesthetics of the fashion design even more. It helps to show that the past, even if it is a very long time ago, is still remembered to this day and is being implemented in our daily lives, through fashion and other designs.

My friend Gab said, “This fashion design can help to inspire an evolution in your fashion sense.” This made me realize how intrigued I was by this fashion style because it really piqued my interest and made me want to dress in this style as well. It also made me realize how much effort I put into my fashion and the way I dress. From now on, I plan to implement this artistic style in my daily life, creating a wardrobe that fits my style and also matches Rick Owens’ as well.

I actually went to visit the FIT exhibit, Food and Fashion, last month. In fact, I loved it so much I went to visit the museum twice! One aspect of the exhibit that really stood out to me was the section focusing on how designers used food brands and their logos and turned them into beautiful pieces of art. I appreciated how the designers in this section used something you might see in your everyday life, something many people might find cheesy to tacky, and turned it into high fashion. The usage of popular brands in fashion also reflects on the impact on media and branding on all types of culture, including fashion, today, and how brands have changed their advertising strategies in the modern society.

One specific designer’s work really caught my eye. The chocolate bar dress was by far my favorite outfit in the exhibit. According to the FIT website, this dress was designed by famous designer Moschino for their fall 2014 collection and was purchased by FIT in 2019. The dress is a full length evening gown that appears to be made out of a Hershey’s chocolate bar wrapper. It is incredible to me how Moschino was able to take something so simple as a wrapper design and turn it into a luxurious evening gown. But more importantly, this shows how impactful Hershey’s has become in today’s culture and society. The fact that most people would immediately recognize that the design is based of a Hershey’s wrapper attests to the strong marketing and advertising skills the Hershey’s company and team has. They have made themselves so well known that even famous design houses such as Moschino are using them as inspiration.

Additionally, by putting this logo on clothing, Hershey’s and the other companies whose logos are used in fashion are actually getting more advertising. By wearing the brand’s name, you are almost becoming a walking advertisement for the company. One major example could be Coca Cola. In the exhibit there was a section focusing on Coca Cola and their impact clothing and the fashion industry. In the 1980s it was especially popular to wear the Coca Cola logo on your clothing. However, Coca Cola continues to be a fashion statement today. I myself own two shirts with their logo printed across it. By wearing their logo, more attention to the company as more eyes are viewing it. You may be walking down the street, feeling thirsty, and see someone wearing a Coca Cola shirt. Because of this, you are more likely to then go buy yourself a Coke as opposed to another drink.

This exhibit at the museum of FIT is a reflection on how important and impactful brands, especially food brands, have become in fashion, culture, and society as a whole today. Some brands are so well-known that they are being used in high fashion and their logos are being printed on t-shirts, pants, and other clothing. In turn, this brings the companies more advertising as it is spreading their brand’s name. Food and fashion have become intertwined, and this has impacted the way brands advertise in today’s world.