until Saturday May 07 2016

The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology
T : +1 (212) 217 4558
7th Avenue at 27th Street
10001 New York
United States

Denim: Fashion’s Frontier will explore the dynamic history of denim and its relationship with high fashion from the 19th century to the present. The exhibition will trace denim from its origins in work wear of the 19th century, through its role as a symbol of counterculture rebellion in America, to its acceptance into mainstream culture. It will culminate with the arrival of blue jeans as luxury items during the late 20th century, and denim's subsequent deconstruction by contemporary designers through postmodern pastiche and experimentation.

Alongside this chronology, Denim: Fashion’s Frontier will highlight important points of engagement between high fashion and denim that are often left out of typical denim histories. Themes addressed will include the role of advertising in creating popular mythologies, as well as issues of distressing, connoisseurship, and environmental concerns. The goal will be to shed new light on one of the world’s most popular types of clothing, and to explore how a particular style of woven cotton has come to dominate the clothing industry.