With all the peekaboo fashion from the Met Gala 2015’s red carpet flooding social media this week, it could be easy to forget that the venerable museum actually has a new Costume Institute–sponsored exhibit up—and an excellent one at that.
China: Through the Looking Glass explores the impact of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion through the presentation of 140 pieces of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear fashion pieces, along with a clutch of Chinese treasure, including paintings, porcelain, jade, bronze, and lacquer.
To celebrate the show, which runs through Aug. 16, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Store has commissioned a limited-edition collection of Chinese-inspired pieces from big-name jewelry and fashion designers.
Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art Store
Marc Alary earrings
Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art Store
Irene Neuwirth Earrings, $3,430
The line of accessories, jewelry, and stationery includes pieces from Alexander McQueen, Cartier, de Gournay, Dries Van Noten, Giambattista Valli, Irene Neuwirth, Jennifer Fisher, Judith Leiber, Marc Alary, Mary Katrantzou, and Stephen Jones, who were asked to respond creatively to the themes explored in the exhibition.
Narmeen Husain, publicity manager for the Met, said the designers were selected because either their work is featured in the exhibition—as is the case with Giambattista Valli, de Gournay, Alexander McQueen and Stephen Jones—or the artists “are emerging young designers who were personally invited.”
Neuwirth contributed beautiful, colorful designs for single-stone gold rings and a pair of pearl drop earrings (see photo above). But Jennifer Fisher’s skeletal designs, an homage to the mysterious archetypal dragon lady, are truly extraordinary (see below).
Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art Store
Jennifer Fisher Vertebrae Cuff (top), $1,835, and Triple-Spine Cuff (bottom), $945
The limited-edition collection is notably not available online—but rather exclusively at the Met store, or by calling 212-570-3767.
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