Compared to similar fashion exhibitions at say the Victoria & Albert museum, this exhibition at Kensington Palace is rather pallid. The premise is that just like in Georgian times, when people received a Royal invitation, the Met gala is a crucial and life changing opportunity to dress your best and thereby change the direction of your life. Kim Kardashian’s Skims proudly exhibited alongside intricate lace undergarments as proof of how similar today and the Georgian times were. Pat McGrath’s beauty set up sat opposite a silver wear beauty table. A video of Kendall Jenner in a see through Givenchy gown based on an Audrey Hepburn dress, and the actual dress, and a dress actually worn by Audrey Hepburn. And in the same display, the oldest Georgian court outfit in existence.
It’s certainly interesting and perhaps it is meant to imply the Met Gala is just as glamorous as these Georgian affairs and we now have our own supposed equivalent to the Met Gala, Vogue world, and something or other has happened with Edward Enninful stepping down and so Anna Wintour is reigning supreme, or some such; I don’t quite follow them as in my mind Vogue is not the publication it once was and I recommend Vogue covers: on Fashion’s Front Page (link) to see how artistic and creative it once was… though I do still love and collect all the Vogue On… books series on designers; anyhow aside from that initial parallel there was not much more substance to the argument and not much of a story arc leading to any cogent theory as to any historical or social echoes etc.
There was a bit about all the modern attempts to politicise fashion with some unsubtle toile print pastiche depicting capitalism (irony is never acknowledged by celebrities and that’s what makes them so endearing. Or something.) And some attempt to imply somehow all this indulgence is going to be set within a sustainability narrative (insert same point about irony) and of course lots of gold and sequins. Naturally it was a treat to see these items but I would have liked more direction and a sense that the items were telling a unified story which made me really think.
The impression I left with is that Georgians were very catty and opportunistic and shallow but they also had a great sense of fun and humour and a level of self awareness. I wasn’t convinced the modern day counterparts could make the same claim.
My rating:
6/10
