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121
Alexandra Palmer,
Exhibition Reviews
Editor
Reviewing
Fashion
Exhibitions
Fashion Theory brings together international scholars and readers who
are interested in a wide range of histories and meanings of fashion and
the body. The exhibition review section offers an important place to
consider current interpretations of historic and contemporary fashions
in both large and small exhibitions, and to discuss diverse themes and
installations. It is critical to record these ephemeral projects, but to do
so in a meaningful way that goes beyond mere description of what is on
view (Figure 1).
The fashion exhibition, grounded in the history of nineteenth-century
exhibitions and commercial fashion merchandising, continues to offer
intriguing ways of thinking and looking at fashion. However, while the
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Alexandra Palmer
Figure 1
Installation of Indian export
chintz and embroidered
dresses and palampore shown
in 18th Century Costume
curated by Katharine B. Brett,
Textile Gallery, Royal Ontario
Museum (JulyOctober 1972).
With permission of the Royal
Ontario Museum ROM.
history of fashion display is old, the formal critical review process for
exhibitions has only just begun. At times curators have described their
exhibition installations, methods, and intentions (de la Haye 2004;
Palmer 1990; Thornton 1962). Though this is a valid contribution to the
eld, these do not serve as reviews because they do not record the visitor
experience. Reviews of museum fashion exhibitions have tended towards
a type that is a motley combination of fashion journalism, coupled with
emotional outpourings about the designs that have spoken to the
reviewer through some raried aesthetic and intangible communion.
These reviews are often found in the fashion pages, not the art section
of the press where the reviewers tend to focus on the exhibition in terms
of its relevance to current fashion trends and style. This is again a valid
stance but does not really constitute a review. Another type barely
mentions the exhibition in favor of a discussion of the party associated
with the exhibition opening. In this case the article is more of a whos
who at the event, and a critique of the designer ensembles worn. Most
reviews describe the exhibition contentsthe fashionsyet often omit
an analysis that measures the successes or shortfalls of the exhibition
itself, the curatorial thesis, and the installation techniques.
There are notable exceptions. The fashion reviews in the New Yorker
by Judith Thurman are often extended and thoughtful pieces, as were
those by Kennedy Fraser. As well, the entry of fashion exhibitions
into high art settings where fashion is normally not displayed, such as
Giorgio Armani designs at the Guggenheim, has caused much heated
debate from art critics. Comments tend to focus on the suitability and
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Alexandra Palmer
125
Figure 2
Installation of Suit by Mercy
in Au Courant: Contemporary
Canadian Fashion, curated
by Alexandra Palmer, Institute
of Contemporary Culture,
Royal Ontario Museum (April
1997January 1998). With
permission of the Royal Ontario
Museum ROM.
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Alexandra Palmer
References
Cumming, Valerie. 2004. Understanding Fashion History. London: B.
T. Batsford.
Goodrum, Alison L. 2004. Exhibition Review: The First New Zealand
Fashion Week Exhibition. Fashion Theory 8(1): 99104.
Goodrum, Alison L. 2005. Exhibition Review: Flaunt: Art/Fashion/
Culture. Fashion Theory 9(1): 8994.
De la Haye, Amy. 2004. New Gallery Review: What Happened to all
Those Lovely Costumes? Fashion Theory 8(3): 33950.
Lynge, Ane. 2005. Exhibition Review: UNIK: Danish Fashion.
Fashion Theory 9(4): 4716.
Lynge, Ane. 2007. Exhibition Review: In Fashion: New Swedish
Clothing Design. Fashion Theory 11(1): 11522.
McNeil, Peter. 2005. Exhibition Review: Dangerous Liaisons.
Fashion Theory 9(4): 47786.
Palmer, Alexandra. 1990. The Royal Ontario Museum Costume &
Textile Gallery. Costume 24: 1136.
Scott, Margaret. 2005. Book Review. Clothing Culture, 13501650.
Costume 39: 1403.
Thornton, Peter. 1962. The New Arrangement of the Costume Court
in the Victoria & Albert Museum. Museum Journal 62(1): 32632.