A new London exhibition examines the ways in which we have fashioned the female (and male) form.
What do a push-up bra and a corset have in common? Find out at “Fashioning the Body: An Intimate History of the Silhouette,” a new exhibition on view April 6-July 26, 2015 at New York’s Bard Graduate Center.
Fans of fashion and feminism will be intrigued by the history of body shaping for public display. A huge success when it was on display in Paris in 2013, “Fashioning the Body” presents many of the devices and items that have been used to construct a desirable silhouette from the 17th Century to today, including bras, corsets, girdles, bustles, belts, panniers and other things used to maximize or minimize the wearer’s natural assets.
And it’s not just women who have been subjected to the cultural demands of physical perfection. Also on display are male accessories such as calf enhancers, cod pieces, stomach belts and padded jackets.
Curated by Louvre professor Denis Bruna, the exhibition provides a fascinating way to look at the history of body image and gender expression.
Info: The Bard Graduate Center is located at 18 West 86th Street NYC. Suggested admission is $7. Tours are offered Tue-Thu, 11a.m. to 4p.m.