The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is hosting an exhibition on three centuries of men’s fashion. Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear, 1715–2015 explores the connection between history and high fashion, but not in a way that you might expect. Rather than being arranged chronologically, the fashions are presented thematically, joined together through influence and style rather than era. The five thematic sections are “Revolution/Evolution,” “East/West,” “Uniformity,” “Body Consciousness,” and “The Splendid Man.” Much of the exhibit focuses on the luxurious fashions of the aristocracy, such as the flashy elegance of the 19th century dandy. Visitors will get insight into how the high fashion of today relates to the high fashion of decades past.
Head curator Sharon Takeda hopes that the exhibit will allow viewers to contemplate not only fashion’s past, but its future possibilities. “Reigning Men takes us on an intriguing 300-year journey of sartorial splendor of aristocrats, dandies, mods, punks, and so many others. Through examples of historical and contemporary ensembles, viewers can encounter the evolving nature of menswear and contemplate the future of men’s fashion.”
Reigning Men will run April 10–August 21, 2016. If you’re a modern sartorialist who is interested in the history behind his wardrobe, this is one exhibit that can’t be missed.
[Source: LATF USA]