One of the pieces shown in the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibit. (Courtesy of Camila Miranda for The Fordham Ram)

Being able to experience and observe firsthand the beautiful “Women Dressing Women” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was truly a privilege. As an admirer of the fashion industry, I had high expectations and was very excited to check out this exhibit, never having experienced anything like it. This exhibit went above and beyond, from presentation to  the incorporation of diversity, making this not only fun, but educational as well. 

One of my favorite aspects of this exhibit was the incorporation and emphasis on diversity. As I walked through the exhibit I was able to see pieces made by artists of many different cultures and how this was reflected in their pieces. One of the most eye-catching, culturally-inspired pieces I saw was a 1995 spring/summer collection piece by Vivienne Tam. Tam was born in Mao Zedong’s People’s Republic of China and fled to Hong Kong at just three years old where she grew up during Mao’s cultural revolution. Her piece on display was a black and white checkered suit that included inversions of the leader’s official portrait, symbolizing the positive and negative effects of Mao’s influence on China. This piece in particular really stood out to me due to the message Tam was able to send through her art. I was able to immediately recognize that this piece was more than just clothing but a bold political statement as well. 

Another aspect of this exhibit I truly appreciated was the inclusion of fashion pieces for women of all different sizes. The exhibit highlighted multiple pieces made by women who believe it is important to make clothing something that caters to every woman and not just a single type. Specifically, a piece I personally thought was not only beautiful but did a great job of being inclusive of different bodies than those usually portrayed by the fashion industry is a dress by Ester Manas’s spring/summer 2022 collection. This mesh light green ruffled dress celebrates plus size bodies which are often excluded from high fashion. I think it is very important for the exhibit to celebrate all types of women and bodies, with most of the more inclusive pieces being pieces from more recent years. This highlights the entire message the exhibit intends to send which is that as time has passed women have taken more and more charge in making pieces for themselves in the fashion industry, taking into account all types of women. 

Though I thought it was cool to see so much diversity in this exhibit, I also really enjoyed being able to see more recent and vintage pieces made by women designers for some of the most iconic brands in high fashion today such as Vivianne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Celine and Dior. It was an honor just to be able to see these beautiful pieces up close and in person knowing how iconic and timeless these brands are. 

However, though the exhibit itself was very beautiful and a great experience, the only negative thing I have to say about it is how hard it was to find within the museum. As someone who has been to the MET only a couple of times, I had a pretty tough time finding the actual exhibit and had to ask multiple times for directions. I think the MET could’ve done a better job of making the exhibit more accessible or at least easier to find. If visiting, do it with a lot of time on your hands to be able to not only appreciate the actual exhibit but also find it, considering you will certainly be distracted by other pieces of art as you make your way to the exhibit. 

I had a great time visiting the “Women Dressing Women” exhibit at the MET and think it is an activity anyone would enjoy. It was definitely a worthwhile experience and I am happy I got to visit seeing as it is only available until March 3. I loved the diversity and presentation of the beautiful and iconic pieces displayed and would definitely recommend it to someone looking for something fun to do.