From Cinderella’s glass slippers to Little Red Riding Hood’s cape, fashion and fairy tales have always been inextricably linked. This fashionable connection is the subject of Fairy Tale Fashion, a new exhibition at the the Fashion Institute of Technology that examines fairy tales and their aesthetic through the lens of high fashion.
Kirsty Mitchell, The Storyteller, from the Wonderland series. Photograph © Kirsty Mitchell, kirstymitchellphotography.com
Running from January 15-April 16, Fairy Tale Fashion features over 80 pieces of clothing and accessories, dating from the 18th century to the present, that represent classic fairy tales. The main gallery space uses fashion to illustrate 15 classic tales, from The Little Mermaid and Cinderella to The Snow Queen and The Wizard of Oz. Pieces on display include several variations of Little Red Riding Hood’s cape, red Christian Louboutin stilettos that evoke Dorothy’s famous footwear, and an Alexander McQueen dress that calls to mind Rapunzel’s cascading hair. Though the exhibition features fashion from throughout history, there will be a particular emphasis on 21st century designers; in addition to Louboutin and McQueen, renowned designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Tom Ford, and Prada are all represented in the show.
In addition to these fashionable pieces, the exhibition will also feature artwork that has influenced perceptions of what defines a “fairy tale aesthetic.” On display will be artwork by such renowned early 20th century artists as Edmund Dulac and A.H. Watson, as well as recent photographs from photographer Kirsty Mitchell’s series Wonderland. This exhibition will be the first time that Mitchell’s work will be shown in the United States.
Fairy Tale Fashion isn’t the only exhibition worth seeing at FIT right now. In addition to this whimsical display, visitors can also check out Denim: Fashion’s Frontier (through May 7), which examines the history of denim and its connection to high fashion. Additional upcoming exhibitions include #TYPE (January 26-February 6), which showcases typographic design projects from FIT’s Creative Technology course, and The Women of Harper’s Bazaar, 1936-1958 (March 1-April 2), a collection of photographs, documents, and clothing items that examine the collaboration between Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Carmel Snow, fashion editor Diana Vreeland, and photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe.
For more information on visiting The Museum at FIT, visit fitnyc.edu.