Not in their wildest dreams could the instigators of the Punk movement in the 1970s have imagined that their anti-establishment code of life, fashion and music would have become a form of inspiration for the high end luxury fashion industry. This inspiration is what is being highlighted in the exhibition Punk:Chaos to Couture which is currently being held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In the Cantor Gallery on the second floor, visitors are brought face to face with the iconic garments and symbols of the era, repeatedly recognised in the contemporary trends of fashion today. From the aggression of the London punk scene and the Sex Pistols spouting obscenities intended to provoke and offend, to the softer, more acceptable bands of Blondie and the Ramones, direct contrasts in cultures are focused on through the DIY self sufficiency of the Punk culture opposed to the Couture concept of bespoke luxury. Original punk garments are displayed alongside contemporary designs by the brands of Alexander McQueen, Martin Margiela and Karl Lagerfeld, and the roles of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm Mclaren and their King’s Road boutique Seditionaries (SEX) are referenced.
Spikes, studs and zips, objects of confrontation and other symbols of the movement are part of the immersive, multimedia, multisensory experience of this event. The exhibition which opened to a great deal of excitement and public support received 10.000 visitors on its first day alone and is set to become a promising destination for New Yorkers as well as visitors during its run through 14th August, 2013.
