The Met Museum is set to unveil its next big show, "Costume Art," which promises to blur the lines between fashion and art history. The exhibit, launching May 10, 2026, will take visitors on a journey through art history, pairing garments with objects from across the museum's vast collection.
According to Max Hollein, CEO and director of the Met, the show aims to make the connection between fashion and art more tangible than ever. "It's a show that can really live in fascinating ways at the museum," he said. "We're pulling from all different areas of our collection - paintings, sculpture, drawings." By bringing these seemingly disparate elements together, Hollein hopes to demonstrate how fashion has long been intertwined with various art forms.
The exhibit will focus on the dressed body, exploring themes such as the "Naked Body," "Classical Body," "Pregnant Body," and "Aging Body." It will also delve into more unexpected topics, like the relationship between fashion and politics. One notable example is a 1504 print by Albrecht Dürer paired with spandex bodysuits from Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck's 2009 collection.
The event was attended by special guests, including Anna Wintour and Misty Copeland, who spoke about the significance of fashion as art. Copeland, a trailblazing ballerina, reflected on her own experience being told that her body didn't fit the ideal mold, only to challenge that notion and fight for representation. The "Costume Art" exhibit promises to continue this conversation.
The show's new location will be a 12,000 square foot gallery space off the museum's Great Hall, which should reduce congestion around fashion exhibits. According to Hollein, the goal is to give fashion a more prominent home within the museum and make it easier for visitors to experience these events.
"Cosume Art" will open on May 10, 2026, running until January 10, 2027.
According to Max Hollein, CEO and director of the Met, the show aims to make the connection between fashion and art more tangible than ever. "It's a show that can really live in fascinating ways at the museum," he said. "We're pulling from all different areas of our collection - paintings, sculpture, drawings." By bringing these seemingly disparate elements together, Hollein hopes to demonstrate how fashion has long been intertwined with various art forms.
The exhibit will focus on the dressed body, exploring themes such as the "Naked Body," "Classical Body," "Pregnant Body," and "Aging Body." It will also delve into more unexpected topics, like the relationship between fashion and politics. One notable example is a 1504 print by Albrecht Dürer paired with spandex bodysuits from Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck's 2009 collection.
The event was attended by special guests, including Anna Wintour and Misty Copeland, who spoke about the significance of fashion as art. Copeland, a trailblazing ballerina, reflected on her own experience being told that her body didn't fit the ideal mold, only to challenge that notion and fight for representation. The "Costume Art" exhibit promises to continue this conversation.
The show's new location will be a 12,000 square foot gallery space off the museum's Great Hall, which should reduce congestion around fashion exhibits. According to Hollein, the goal is to give fashion a more prominent home within the museum and make it easier for visitors to experience these events.
"Cosume Art" will open on May 10, 2026, running until January 10, 2027.