Contemporary Muslim Fashions at de Young Museum

The de Young Museum in San Francisco opens "Contemporary Muslim Fashions," the first major exhibition dedicated to Muslim fashion. Curated by Jill D'Alessandro and Laura Camerlengo with cultural studies expert Reina Lewis, the show challenges Western stereotypes of modesty as constraint. It traces the roots of Muslim fashion to the 1950s, when elite Muslim clients frequented Parisian couture houses. The exhibition includes a photographic section featuring Hengameh Golestan's images of women protesting the veil in 1979 Iran, objects like Nike's first sports hijab, and Shepard Fairey's "Greater Than Fear" poster. Designers represented include Faiza Bouguessa, Chadore Fyunka, Itang Yunasz, Dian Pelangi, Bernard Chandran, Céline Semaan Vernon, Saiqa Majeed, Sarah Elenany, and Barjis Chohan. Max Hollein, Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, notes that vibrant fashion communities exist in many Muslim-majority countries. The exhibition also covers fast fashion and Western designers like Dolce&Gabbana creating ad hoc collections for this niche market.