It’s complete happenstance when you find out that due to popular demand, the Met’s Manus X Machina: Fashion in the Age of Technology got extended until September 15 (from the original closing date of August 14). Sean and I found that out when we got to the Met. Needless to say, I was happy and excited.
Manus X Machina explores how today’s designers are reconciling the handmade and the machine-made in the creation of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear fashions. It addresses the distinction between the hand (manus) and the machine (machina) in the creative process, and questions the changing delineation between haute couture and ready-to-wear.
The exhibit showcased traditional lace-making, feather work, leatherwork to cutting-edge digital technologies such as 3D printing.
Some pictures of my favourites:
L: House of Givenchy – 1963, haute couture. Hand sewn red-orange cotton Mechlin-type lace hand-embroidered with red-orange glass beads, tinsel, and pieces of coral.
R: Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2012, pret-a-porter. Hand and machine sewn nude silk organdy and net, hand-embroidered with red-orange glass beads, freshwater pearls, pieces of coral, and dyed shells.
L: Madame Gres – 1950-55, haute couture. Machine-sewn white silk jersey with hand-gathered and stitched pleats.
R: Iris van Herpen – Spring/Summer 2010, haute couture. 3D printed (selective laser sintering) white polyamide by Materialise, machine-sewn white goat leather, hand-cut acrylic fringe.
Noa Raviv – 2014, pret-a-porter. Black and white 3D printed (polyjet) polymer by stratasys, hand-sewn white synthetic tulle with adhesive applique of laser-cut black polyester twill weave.
House of Givenchy – Autumn/Winter 2010-11, haute couture. Machine-sewn nude silk tulle, hand-appliqued with machine-made lace and hand-braided ivory silk georgette lace.
L: Threeasfour, Spring/Summer 2016, pret-a-porter. Machine-sewn white neoprene and nude nylon mesh, hand-applique of 3D printed (selective laser sintering) ivory resin and nylon by Materialise.
R: Proenza Schouler, Autumn/Winter 2013-14, pret-a-porter. Machine-sewn white nylon mesh, pieced with white ceramic “stone” custom lace, bonded with white ultrasonic-wielded satin viscose crepe “embroidery”.
Threeasfour, Spring/Summer 2014, pret-a-porter. Machine-sewn white nylon power mesh, hand embroidered with 3D printed (selective laser sintering) ivory resin and nylon by Materialise.
Iris van Herpen, Autumn 2012, haute couture. 3D printed (stereolithogrpahy) dark orange epoxy by Materialise, hand-sanded and hand-sprayed with a technical transparent resin.
Valentino – Spring/Summer 2014, haute couture. Machine and hand-sewn black silk organdy, hand embroidered with black leather and silk artificial flowers and feathers.
House of Dior – Autumn/Winter 2013-14, pret-a-porter. Machine-sewn black silk taffeta with overlay of black cotton-synthetic mesh, hand-embroiderd with leather artificial flowers and black beads.
What a beautiful collection. I’m sure glad that it was extended and that we were in New York to see it. Happenstance! View more Manus X Machina: Fashion in the Age of Technology exhibit photos on my Flickr album.
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