The Met's 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion' exhibit opens on Sept. 18

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Sep 14, 2021

The Met Gala made its return on Monday night to celebrate the opening of the Costume Institute’s latest exhibition 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion'. 

The two-part exhibit launches on September 18, starting with part one, which offers an exploration of fashion in the United States in the Anna Wintour Costume Center. 

The exhibit uses Jesse Jackson's 1984 principle of a patchwork quilt description of America and is created into 12 sections that explore defining emotional qualities: Nostalgia, Belonging, Delight, Joy, Wonder, Affinity, Confidence, Strength, Desire, Assurance, Comfort, and Consciousness. 

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All the while, it features approximately 100 men's and women's ensembles by a diverse range of designers from the 1940s to the present. Featured designers include American heavyweights like Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and the late Halston, to name a few. 

Next, part two will open in the American Wing period rooms on May 5, 2022 and present sartorial narratives that relate to the complex and layered histories of those rooms.

Monday night's big Met Gala was canceled last year, due to the pandemic. This year's gala theme is 'American Independence' and is co-chaired by Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman, and Naomi Osaka. 

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, fashion designer and film director Tom Ford, and Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, will act as honorary chairs.