Exploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation

'Exploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation', a new exhibition at MoMu - Fashion Museum Antwerp is a research project at Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts London) that explores how pattern-cutting in twentieth century fashion can be understood through the practices of making, unmaking and remaking. 

The project ‘explodes’ the mystique of the fashion design process in two ways. Firstly, it deconstructs the myth of the designer as sole creative genius by uncovering the intriguing role of the pattern cutter. Secondly, it reverse-engineers five historical designs by game-changing designers who were also innovative pattern cutters, digitally reanimating museum objects as moving images which visually narrate how these things were once made, and how they moved on the body. ​ 

The designers are Madeleine Vionnet (1912-1939), Charles James (1928-1978), Cristóbal Balenciaga (1936-1968), Halston (1957-1983) and Comme des Garçons (1973-ongoing) and their garments are from the collections of the Palais Galliera (Paris, France), Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Paris, France), Costume Institute (New York, USA), Museum at FIT (New York, USA), Kyoto Costume Institute (Japan) and Victoria and Albert Museum (London, UK).

Exploding Fashion: From 2D to 3D to 3D Animation, exhibition poster, Comme des Garçons dress, remade by pattern cutters at Central Saint Martins, © Photo: Liam Leslie, © Graphic design: Paul BoudensExploding Fashion: From 2D to 3D to 3D Animation, exhibition poster, Comme des Garçons dress, remade by pattern cutters at Central Saint Martins, © Photo: Liam LeslieExploding Fashion: From 2D to 3D to 3D Animation, exhibition poster, Comme des Garçons dress, remade by pattern cutters at Central Saint Martins, © Photo: Liam LeslieComme des Garçons dress, remade by pattern cutters at Central Saint Martins, © Photo: Liam Leslie

Testing the pattern pieces of the Charles James dress on the stand at the Costume Institute, © Photo: Liam LeslieComposite photo of the Charles James dress, © Photo: Liam Leslie

3D animation of the remade Balenciaga dress, © Photo: Liam Leslie

3D animation of the remade Halston dress, © Photo: Liam LeslieModel’s historicised walk in the remade Charles James dress, © Photo: Liam Leslie

The exhibition offers unprecedented insight into the role of innovative pattern-cutting in key examples of twentieth century fashion design. It offers the first comprehensive exploration of how a traditional design process can enter into a dialogue with new concepts, illuminating haute couture and prêt-à-porter methods for a visually-driven digital age. 

Kaat Debo, director MoMu: "It is a great honour for our museum to be the first to be asked to reveal this innovative research in the form of this exhibition."
​
​The research team brings an unusual combination of experts into dialogue: two professional pattern cutters (Patrick Lee and Esme Young), a historian (Caroline Evans), a curator (Alistair O'Neill), a digital lead (Liam Leslie), a project researcher (Isabella Coraça), a fit model (Kitty Garratt) and a contemporary dancer (Kate Coyne). The Central Saint Martins project bridges fashion design practice and academic history and theory, and draws on its expertise in both areas to produce innovative fashion thinking in design, education and curation.

Exploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation, (c) MoMu Antwerp, Photo: Stany DederenExploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation, (c) MoMu Antwerp, Photo: Stany Dederen

Exploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation, (c) MoMu Antwerp, Photo: Stany DederenExploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation, (c) MoMu Antwerp, Photo: Stany Dederen

Exploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation, (c) MoMu Antwerp, Photo: Stany DederenExploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation, (c) MoMu Antwerp, Photo: Stany DederenExploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation, (c) MoMu Antwerp, Photo: Stany Dederen

Exploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation, (c) MoMu Antwerp, Photo: Stany DederenExploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation, (c) MoMu Antwerp, Photo: Stany Dederen

Alistair O'Neill, professor of Fashion History and Theory at Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts London): "Exploding Fashion was inspired by how museum dress collections enrich fashion history. MoMu’s 2016 exhibition, Game Changers: Reinventing the 20th Century Silhouette motivated us to develop the research project, so we are honoured and thrilled to stage the findings as an exhibition and book at the fashion museum. Long live MoMu!"

CATALOGUE
​It is complimented by the publication, Exploding Fashion: Making, Unmaking, and Remaking Twentieth Century Fashion (Lannoo) which includes over 200 illustrations, including key dress designs, photo-collages, innovative pattern-cuttings, pencil drawings and project documentation. 

PRACTICAL
​Exploding Fashion: from 2D to 3D to 3D animation
​from 08/10/2022 until 05/02/2023
​at MoMu - Fashion Museum Antwerp
​More info momu.be