Written by Leah Dolan, CNNLondon
Contributors Max Burnell, CNN, Angelica Pursley, CNN
Long cape in pale pink; brocade silk robe with floral print and tapered waist; A buffalo army cape adorned with delicate ribbon closures are some of the most provocative items on display in the new exhibition Masculinity in Fashion: The Art of Menswear at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). But these distinctly feminine menswear are not the work of a new generation of contemporary fashion designers—they are historical artifacts from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
“We really want to show people the long history of changing ideas about masculinity,” co-curator Rosalind McKever told CNN at a museum preview of the exhibit. “(What men’s clothing should look like) seems like such a modern question, but it’s a much longer story than some people might think.”
Portrait of Charles Coote, 1st Earl of Bellamont (1738–1800), wearing the robes of the Order of the Bath, 1773–1774 Photo: © National Gallery of Ireland/Victoria and Albert Museum
Housed in the underground Victoria and Alfred Gallery, Fashion Masculinity focuses on three key aspects of menswear: underwear, extravagant regalia and, of course, the suit. While each element flows rhythmically into the next, this is no ordinary journey through history. Instead, contemporary images of young designers coexist with their historical references, often seamlessly blending into the past. The farthingale-inspired silk corseted dress looks straight out of a 16th-century ballroom, when it actually debuted last September on the London runway during Edward Crutchley’s Spring-Summer 2022 show.
Edward Crutchley Ensemble. Spring-Summer 2022. Photo: © Chris Yates / Contributed by Edward Crutchley / Victoria and Albert Museum.
Plaster casts of classic statues such as Apollo Belvedere and Hermes Farnese stand in front of Calvin Klein ads, displaying an almost ancient social standard: throbbing muscles and toned bellies. But for every exhibit that champions the traditional version of masculinity, there are three more that are ready to exaggerate or completely refute the notion of gender. For example, “Tiresias,” a video clip by Canadian transgender artist Cassils, plays just a few feet from European ivory statues. In it, an ice sculpture of a classically idealized male torso disintegrates from the heat of Cassils’ naked body pressed against him. When the ice melts, a new image of masculinity appears before the viewer: a trans-masculine body without surgical intervention.
While Fashioning Masculinities focuses on menswear, gender variability is at the core of much of what is on display. It’s a school of thought that promotes authentic living (and clothing), says gender-fluid designer Harris Reid, who is featured in the exhibit. “I took up my craft because I didn’t want to make another box for what a woman or a man is, or even what a non-binary person is,” Read told CNN. for this body, for this being. It’s about living without borders and without borders.”
Harry Styles for Gucci Pre-Fall 2019 Menswear Campaign. Creative Director: Alessandro Michele; Art director: Christopher Simmonds; Photographer and director: Harmony Korine. Credit: Harmony Korine/Courtesy of Gucci/Victoria and Albert Museum.
On display is a fuchsia metallic ensemble with large puffed sleeves, a high ruffled collar and a bow, designed by Reed when he was still a student at London’s prestigious Central Saint Martins fashion school. It became the custom design piece worn by Harry Styles during his 2017-2018 world tour and caught Reed’s attention overnight. Years later, he designed a dress-suit for Styles for his iconic Vogue November 2020 cover shoot.
“Being included in an exhibition like this is pretty surreal,” he said. “I remember going to a museum as a little kid and not seeing any picture of myself. So it’s quite an emotional thing to come here today and really see it all together.”
“We are seeing this kind of creativity, excitement and diversity in the menswear industry,” McKever said, “but also a shift in the fashion industry towards a different way of looking at gender.”
“Fashion is one of the easiest things to talk about gender, queer identity and self-expression,” agrees Reed. “It’s starting to change how we interact with each other and how we grow as a society.”
The exhibition “Masculinity in Fashion: The Art of Menswear” is open from March 19 to November 6, 2022.