By: Mary Kate Gagliardi
This summer I was able to travel to my favorite city, New York, to view the Heavenly Bodies exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibit featured medieval art and Catholicism’s influence on fashion, and how it has impacted different designers’ modern collections.
Walking into the exhibit, I was surrounded by garments that were embellished with jewels and materials rich in color and design. Also on display were papal robes never seen before unless you visited the Vatican. There were simpler garments on display in red or black that were a lot more conservative influenced by nun’s habits. The exhibit also included the designers Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, and Yves Saint Laurent who took inspiration from the traditions of the church to create their collections. It was amazing to be able to be in a room with garments from those all those prolific designers.
Being able to view this collection as a fashion student made this an incredible experience. I was able to appreciate the craftsmanship and history that went into this exhibit. I understand how much effort went into making these garments, as well as curating this exhibit. It was also an honor to be in the Met, although unfortunately, I did not run into Anna Wintour.