Yves Saint Laurent, Tiffany, Cecil Beaton, the power of pink - the best fashion exhibitions to see in autumn
Contemporary Muslim Fashions
From brands such as Uniqlo, Nike and Dolce & Gabbana offering items like abayas and hijabs, to models such as Halima Aden shining in the spotlight at fashion week, Muslim fashion, often associated with modest dressing, has been a hot topic in recent seasons.
Celine Semaan's Banned (2017). Photo: Driely Carter
The de Young Museum in San Francisco is the first major institution to explore Muslim dress codes in an exhibition displaying the work of designers from the Middle East, Malaysia and Europe, as well as videos, photos and news clippings to address Islamic women's fashion.
An ensemble by Zandra Rhodes (1978). Photo: Eileen Costa
Pink: The History of a Punk, Pretty, Powerful Color
Both for its gender connotations and its wide use in fashion, which extends to today's ubiquitous millennial pink, the colour pink never fails to trigger strong and divisive reactions.
This show presents Western and non-Western clothes for men and women to provoke questions and encourage visitors to reassess some long-held stereotypes about pink.
A pink men's suit by Jil Sander (2011). Photo: Eileen Costa
Highlights include outfits by Elsa Schiaparelli, who coined the term "shocking pink", Rei Kawakubo and Christian Dior.
Pink: The History of a Punk, Pretty, Powerful Color, The Museum at FIT in New York, September 7-January 5
The polka dot dress by Sarah Moon (1996). Photo: Sarah Moon
From One Season to Another: Sarah Moon
Armani/Silos, designer Giorgio Armani's cultural space in Milan, celebrates the work of photographer Sarah Moon this autumn. Moon, who grew up in England and France, started out as a model in Paris before becoming a photographer in 1968.
She is known for her dreamy, soft-focus and painterly fashion images, which will be displayed at Armani/Silos along with lesser known pictures depicting animals, industrial landscapes and flowers.
From One Season to Another: Sarah Moon, Armani/Silos in Milan, September 19-January 6
Yves Saint Laurent with a geisha in Kyoto in April 1963. Photo: Courtesy of Musee Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent: Dreams of the Orient
The Musee Yves Saint Laurent opened in Paris last October with a full immersion into the designer's oeuvre.
Evening outfit, haute couture (1994), at the Musee Yves Saint Laurent Paris. Photo: Sophie Carre
The first temporary thematic show at the museum revisits the designer's strong bond with Asia.
Saint Laurent surrounded by models at the launch of the Asian-inspired Opium fragrance in Paris, in 1977. Photo: Courtesy of Musee Yves Saint Laurent
Saint Laurent was an avid traveller and reader, finding inspirations in the textiles and fashions of China, India and Japan.
Saint Laurent with a geisha in Kyoto, April 1963. Photo: Courtesy of Musee Yves Saint Laurent
The exhibition displays his work inspired by those countries along with Asian artefacts borrowed from private collections and the Musee National des Arts Asiatiques " Guimet, also located in Paris.
Yves Saint Laurent: Dreams of the Orient, Musee Yves Saint Laurent in Paris, October 2-January 27
Actress Merle Oberon, in 1934, wearing a pearl headdress designed by Cecil Beaton. Photo: Cecil Beaton
Cecil Beaton: Thirty from the 30s | Fashion, Film and Fantasy
A contributor to publications such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Tatler, Cecil Beaton was one of the most influential image makers of the 20th century. Known for his fashion photographs and celebrity portraits, Beaton was a bon vivant who also dabbled in painting, interior and costume design.
Portrait of the Soapsuds Group, by Beaton (1930). Photo: Cecil Beaton
This display, which is part of a larger exhibition on fashion photography from the 1930s, looks at his work from that decade, including portraits of Katharine Hepburn and Salvador Dali, and glamorous snapshots from his famous parties, held at his estate at Ashcombe.
Cecil Beaton: Thirty from the 30s | Fashion, Film and Fantasy, Fashion and Textile Museum in London, October 12-January 20
Gold sandals and toe stalls from the reign of Egypt's Thutmose III (1479"1425 B.C.). Photo: Kellen Anna-Marie
Yves Saint Laurent: Dreams of the Orient
From headdresses and ear ornaments dating back to 2600 BCE to rings and necklaces from the present day, this exhibition looks at the transformative power of jewellery and its effects on the human body.
Jewelled bracelets (500-700).
Pieces from Egypt and Mesopotamia vie for attention with jewels from Hellenistic Greece and adornments from New Guinea.
Marriage necklace (Thali) late 19th century India.
The show also features displays of pieces by designers such as Shaun Lane and houses including Tiffany and Lalique.
Jewellery: The Body Transformed, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, November 12-February 24
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Copyright (c) 2018. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
