The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion was a fashion exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that ran from May 6 to August 9, 2009. It focused on iconic fashion models of the twentieth century who inspired fashion in their respective eras. Organized by historical period from 1947 to 1997, the exhibition was made possible by Marc Jacobs with additional funding from Condé Nast.[1] It was curated by Harold Koda and Kohle Yohannan.[2]
The New York Times review of the exhibition noted, "the exhibition feels in search of a legitimate center, a justification — beyond icon-mongering — to spend so much time looking at pretty faces. By its very title, The Model as Muse presents an idealized relationship between photographer and model, or designer and model, and while much of the work in fashion is collaborative, the fact is that many designers and photographers are major control freaks. And some just outright dismiss the role of models."[6] The Boston Globe called it "a wonderful show."[2] The British Daily Telegraph described it as "a lavish tribute to iconic models who have worked at the forefront of the industry."[7]
An accompanying catalogue was edited by Koda and Yohannan.[8] It was published by MetPublications and Yale University Press. Library Journal called it, "A glossy and admiring look at the last half century of fashion imagery through its most iconic models and the styles they personified. For anyone who loves fashion photography."[9]
^ a bSmee, Sebastian (9 July 2009). "The faces of fashion". Boston.com. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
^Atkins, Lissa (11 May 2009). "Models are snapshot of style, society in Met show". Retrieved 2019-09-11.
^"Dovima with the Elephants - evening dress by Dior, Cirque d'Hiver, Paris, August 1955 | Avedon, Richard | V&A Search the Collections". V and A Collections. 2019-09-11. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
^"Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Explores Role of Fashion Models as Muses of Recent Eras". The Met. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
^Horyn, Cathy (2009-05-05). "At the Metropolitan Museum, More Than Just Pretty Faces". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
^"The Model as Muse: Costume Institute Gala 2009 - Telegraph". fashion.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
^"The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion".
^Turner, Nancy (July 2009). "Review of The Model as Muse". Library Journal: 95.
^"Beauty Rendered. The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion". Studio International - Visual Arts, Design and Architecture. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
^"Models as muses at the Met". amsterdamnews.com. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 2019-09-11.