Fashion and Technology, from Looms to 3D Printers

Published December 5, 2012




The curators’ loyalty to their mission—tracing the interwoven histories of clothing and technology—occasionally means the show is less glamorous than is typical of the Museum. It’s easy to overlook a Bonnie August leotard and skirt and a Marc Audibet dress. (Especially when they’re bathed in light from the shining silver lamé Thierry Mugler gown a few feet away—a circa-1979 vision of “futuristic.”) But the advancement they illustrate—the introduction of Lycra blends into modern wardrobes—is essential to fashion history.

Partially because the period brings a broader scope to the fashion and technology crossover, the contemporary portion offers the most fascinating objects. Photo manipulation software allows for more intricate patterns. Fashion shows incorporate a circus of electronics, turning runway productions into memorable performances. One screen depicts the Helmut Lang Fall/Winter 1998 show that was dispatched to “guests” via mailed CDs and streamed live on a late-20th-century Internet. (No word as to how smoothly that went.) Alexander McQueen’s famous Spring/Summer 1999 show, accented with two spray-painting robots, also plays.



