On Wednesday 8th November, Vogue revealed the upcoming theme for their annual fashion showcase and exhibition; ÔÇÿSleeping Beauties: Reawakening FashionÔÇÖ. The Meta Gala, held on the first Monday in May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, raises funds for the Costume Institute. The prestigious event is attended by the biggest names in fashion, as well as a plethora of famous faces ÔÇö the Kardashians, Rhianna, and Emma Chamberlain have all appeared on the red carpet in recent years.┬á

The exhibition will span 400 years of history and include a 17th-century bodice as well as work from legendary designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, and Hubert de Givenchy. The exhibit aims to illuminate the beauty of the natural world through fashion and textiles. According to Vogue, the exhibition will consist of 250 items drawn from the Costume Institute’s permanent collection and will feature 50 historically significant pieces. Max Hollein, The MetÔÇÖs Marina Kellen French Director and CEO, explained that the ÔÇ£Costume InstituteÔÇÖs exhibition will push the boundaries of our imagination and invite us to experience the multisensory facets of a garment.ÔÇØ He added that ÔÇ£ÔÇÿSleeping BeautiesÔÇÖ will heighten our engagement with these masterpieces of fashion by evoking how they feel, move, sound, smell, and interact when being worn, ultimately offering a deeper appreciation of the integrity, beauty, and artistic brilliance of the works on display.ÔÇØ

Andrew Bolton, Wendy Yu Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute, said: ÔÇ£Fashion is one of the most emotional artistic forms because of its connection to the body. It is imbued with memory and emotions, and we relate to it very much via our senses. One thing I hope this show will activate is that sensorial appreciation of fashion.ÔÇØ He then explained that the collection is structured around 15 beautiful, and historically significant pieces that are too delicate to ever be worn again ÔÇô ÔÇ£these are the ÔÇÿSleeping BeautiesÔÇÖ of the title,ÔÇØ he said. Video animation, light projection, AI, and CGI will be used in conjunction with the fragile garments to shape the understanding of each piece. According to Bolton, the exhibition will be based on three elements: Land, Sea and Sky. ÔÇ£It is very much an ode to nature and the emotional poetics of fashionÔÇØ Bolton added.

Words by Olivia Griffin