Met's 'Costume Art' Exhibition Explores Body Diversity and Fashion's Connection to Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute opens 'Costume Art' in the new Condé M. Nast Galleries, curated by Andrew Bolton. The exhibition uses faceless mannequin heads by sculptor Samar Hejazi to encourage self-reflection. It features diverse body types modeled after named individuals, challenging traditional beauty standards. The show is organized around body typologies, including Naked & Nude, Classical, Abstract, Reclaimed (Pregnant, Corpulent, Disabled), Inscribed, Vital, Anatomical, Aging, and Mortal bodies. Artworks from across the Met's collections are displayed alongside garments to create equity between art and fashion. Highlights include a Vivienne Westwood leggings paired with a Dürer engraving, Rudi Gernreich's monokini, and a Van Gogh painting flanked by Yves Saint Laurent and Loewe pieces, all sharing themes of mental health. The exhibition runs in the new permanent galleries off the Great Hall, allowing longer display periods.