The Museum at FIT launches ‘Food & Fashion’

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Jun 29, 2023

The Museum at FIT (MFIT) announced on Wednesday the launch of a new exhibition that explores the impact of food and food culture on fashion design. 

Dubbed ‘Food & Fashion’ and running September 13 to November 26, 2023, the exhibition features over 80 garments and accessories by designers including Chanel, Moschino, and Stella McCartney. 

It is co-curated by Melissa Marra-Alvarez, MFIT's curator of education and research, and Elizabeth Way, the museum's associate curator of costume.

The exhibition begins in the introductory gallery with a section titled 'A Day of Food as Fashion', where visitors embark on a sensory journey through breakfast, lunch, and dinner, exploring the prevalence of food-inspired themes in clothing. 

From 'The Fashion Kitchen' to 'The High Fashion Restaurant', the exhibition provides a glimpse into the convergence of food and fashion in our everyday lives. Bridging the gap between fashion and the digital age, 'The Camera Eats First' section examines the influential role of social media as a platform where food and fashion intersect throughout the day.

Stepping into the main gallery, visitors are greeted by a setting reminiscent of a food hall. The gallery showcases ten themes, each represented by stalls. 'Haute Couture/Haute Cuisine' illuminates the intertwined history of French luxury; 'Dressing to Dine' explores the sartorial choices dictated by different mealtimes; and 'A Feast for the Eyes' examines the intersection of food, fashion, and art in contemporary design.

However, the exhibition extends beyond the runway and garments. 'The Fashion Cookbook' section highlights how fashion designers have expanded their creative endeavors through cookbooks that channel their unique aesthetics and values.

'Food & Fashion' also celebrates cultural representation through food and dress, while 'We Eat What We Are' showcases ensembles by designers who pay homage to their cultural backgrounds, embracing the distinctive expressions of various national and ethnic communities.

Additionally, the exhibition delves into thought-provoking themes such as the relationship between food and gender identities in 'Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice?' and the role of fashion as a platform for activism and social justice in 'Activism and Protest'.

Lastly, 'Consuming Bodies' explores fashion's complex relationship with food as it relates to "the fashionable body."