Items: Is Fashion Modern?

by Paola Antonelli (Contributor), Michelle Fisher (Editor), Luke Baker (Contributor)

Items: Is Fashion Modern? presents 111 items of clothing and accessories that have had a profound impact on global culture in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Among them, are designs as well-known, transformative, and coveted as Levi’s 501 jeans and the sari and as ancient, charged, and historically rich as the pearl necklace and the keffiyeh.

The catalogue accompanies the first fashion exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art since 1944. An essay by curator Paola Antonelli highlights the Museum’s unique perspective on fashion and explores fashion’s role in the changing landscape of design. The 111 texts that follow trace the history of each item in relation to labour, marketing, technology, religion, politics, aesthetics, and popular culture. Arranged alphabetically, these essays are richly illustrated with archival images, fashion photography, film stills, and documentary shots. Punctuating the book are newly commissioned photographic portfolios that bring a vibrant creative energy to the project.

Genres: Fashion

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2017

About the author

Paola Antonelli is curator in the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art. Since 1994, Paola has curated the following landmark exhibitions: "Achille Castiglioni: Design!;" "Humble Masterpieces;" "Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design; " "SAFE: Design Takes on Risk;" "Thresholds: Contemporary Design from the Netherlands;" "Projects 66: Campana/Ingo Maurer:" and "Workspheres." For these accomplishments she received the 2006 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Design Mind Award. She was also appointed senior fellow at the Royal College of Art, London and given an honorary doctorate by Kingston University. Prior to joining the staff at MoMA, Paola was the editor of Abitare and a contributing editor to Domus. Among the books she has written are: Humble Masterpieces: Everyday Marvels of Design and Objects of Design from the Museum of Modern Art. She also writes for publications such as Harper's Bazaar, Harvard Design, I.D., Metropolis, Nest, and Paper.

Reviews

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading like a reference book about fashion, this is an extraordinary history of items. Some much fashion comes from working class subversion or military influence. The book is international in scope, capturing the Western trends, but inclusive of many more world fashions. The mini essays accompanying each piece are well researched and I am sure this was a wonderful museum exhibition on the history of fashion and its meaning over time.

[Micaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating look at clothing & accessories and their significance over time. Love!

[Raad · Rating 1 out of 5]

The catalog is at least more comprehensive than the exhibit. More explicit thoughts here: https://thebaffler.com/latest/faux-pa...

[Pippin · Rating 4 out of 5]

engrossing.

[reece]

Did not finish. I lost this book. Idk where it went

[virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

a riesgo de parecer ese tipo de persona diré que es un catálogo taaan chulo mucho mejor que la expo. si te gusta vestir con básicos como yo sabrás de dónde vienen todos