Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
As for the Met Gala, it’s safe to say futuristic attire will grace the star-studded event. Co-chairs for the benefit include Idris Elba, Jonathan Ive, Taylor Swift and Anna Wintour, and Nicolas Ghesquière, Karl Lagerfeld and Miuccia Prada will serve as honorary chairs. The gala serves as the main funding source for The Costume Institute’s annual activities and exhibitions.
Anna Wintour’s Costume Center galleries will also showcase workshops in which attendees will be able to watch the process of 3D-printed garments being made from start to finish.
[ See: 2015 Met Gala Red Carpet Roundup ]
“Fashion and technology are inextricably connected, more so now than ever before,” stated Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of the Met. “It is therefore timely to examine the roles that the handmade and the machine-made have played in the creative process. Often presented as oppositional, this exhibition proposes a new view in which the hand and the machine are mutual and equal protagonists.”
Diane von Furstenburg’s futuristic google glasses showcased during Spring 2013 runway show; Image: Imaxtree
We also know that tech-savvy Apple is sponsoring the exhibit. Chief Design Officer Jonathan Ive relayed, “Both the automated and handcrafted process require similar amounts of thoughtfulness and expertise. There are instances where technology is optimized, but ultimately it’s the amount of care put into the craftsmanship, whether it’s machine-made or hand-made, that transforms ordinary materials into something extraordinary.” Perhaps the most perfect timing for a new iPhone launch or Apple gadget?
And at seven months out, we’re certain that everyone in attendance is already brainstorming gala garb ideas. It is, after all, one of the biggest fashion events of the year.
