The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute is set to redefine the boundaries of fashion exhibition with its Spring 2024 showcase, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. Opening on May 10th and running through September 2nd, 2024, this immersive exhibition promises a multisensory exploration of historical garments, breathing new life into fashion history.
The exhibition will leverage cutting-edge technologies like augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and computer-generated imagery, alongside traditional methods like x-rays and video animation, to awaken the sensory potential of approximately 250 garments and accessories spanning four centuries. Nature serves as a central theme and visual metaphor, highlighting the cyclical nature of fashion and its inherent fragility.
alt text: A detail shot of an elaborate Elizabethan bodice with intricate foliate and insectoid embroidery.
Fashion Spring 2024: A Sensory Revival
Sleeping Beauties will feature a sequence of thematic galleries, each designed to engage visitors’ senses of sight, smell, touch, and hearing. Imagine walls adorned with the intricate embroidery of an Elizabethan bodice, floors animated with serpentine patterns mirroring a sequined dress, and ceilings projected with a mesmerizing flock of birds surrounding a Vionnet gown.
Fragile garments, deemed too delicate for traditional display, will be presented in glass “coffins,” allowing for microscopic examination of their deterioration. Select pieces will be virtually resurrected using Pepper’s ghost illusion technology, further blurring the lines between preservation and performance. ST smell artist Sissel Tolaas will contribute bespoke scents, adding another layer to the sensory experience, allowing visitors to almost smell Fashion Spring 2024 come alive.
Fashion Spring 2024: Collaboration and Innovation
The exhibition is curated by Andrew Bolton, with Nick Knight serving as Creative Consultant, bringing his unique vision to the technological activations developed in collaboration with SHOWstudio. Leong Leong architects have designed the immersive exhibition space in partnership with The Met’s Design Department.
Fashion Spring 2024: The Met Gala
The highly anticipated Met Gala, the Costume Institute’s annual fundraising benefit, will take place on May 6th, 2024, celebrating the exhibition’s opening. This star-studded event is a major source of funding for the Costume Institute’s exhibitions, acquisitions, and operations.
Fashion Spring 2024: A Deeper Dive into Fashion History
Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion promises to be more than just an exhibition; it’s a journey through time, a sensory exploration of fashion’s past, and a testament to the power of innovation in museum experiences. By engaging multiple senses and incorporating cutting-edge technology, the exhibition aims to redefine how we interact with historical garments and appreciate the artistry of fashion. This fashion spring 2024, The Met invites you to witness a reawakening of fashion history.
