In Vogue?

Rather, In Vague.

The latest Fashion on exhibit at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is uninspired.

The Costume Institute’s In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, launched a two-part exploration of fashion  in the Anna Wintour Costume Center.

I think Anna Wintour and her legend of minions need to refocus.

Personally, I have felt that the last two MET Balls were scattered and unimpressive with a very limited number of random exciting, innovative theme related designs.

The same can be said for this year’s exhibit…detached, boring, lacking continuity and inspiration.

The exhibit is in two parts.

The first is a repeat staging from last year.

Just stick a fashion piece in a high tech phone booth/cubicle, place a random word on the top of the mannequin’s head and BAM, some obscure fashion statement.

Here is a sampling of some of the more appealing and interesting pieces on display, although the bottom line statement and theme remain unclear:

The second phase is fashion showcased within an architecturally relevant timeframe.

The Scorsese directed one-room set within a Frank Loyd Wright designed space was the most compelling piece although the lighting was stark. The barely lite setting runs throughout the exhibit. The Scorsese directed fashion was all by the iconic designer, Charles James, who was featured in a brilliant MET fashion exhibit several years ago.

Designer Charles James is best known for his ballgowns and highly structured aesthetic. James was one of the most influential fashion designers of the 20th century.

In actuality, the physical American Wing section where the second exhibit is held outshined the fashion display.

A bit disheartened, we continued to explore and checked out the Louise Bourgeois painting exhibit.

Although she is best known for her large-scale spider sculpture and installation art, Bourgeois was also a prolific painter.

The paintings focus on her move from France to America in 1938.

The artwork definitely emphasized the difficult transition and her somewhat depressed state of mind.

A visit to the MET is such an exhilarating experience, and although the Fashion exhibit was disappointing, it had its moments.

I yearn for the excitement, education and exhilaration of the McQueen, Charles James, Punk, Heavenly Bodies and Manus x Machina retrospectives and the days when the MET Gala was not a patchwork of fashion and more a cohesive fashion parade worn by interesting personalities. Tik Tok influencers are not my idea of authentic trendsetters.

Until 2023 and the next MET Gala and fashion retrospective, I leave you with the view from the MET rooftop, always one of the best in the city.

In America: A Lexicon of Fashion. Metropolitan Museum Of Art 1000 Fifth Avenue New York. The Fashion exhibit closes September 5th, 2022.