India and Beyond

As we begin our tour of the exhibition in the Museum’s Ellman Gallery, Fashion’s Muse presents examples of traditional and contemporary Indian dress traditions from nine of India’s 28 states. Through color, drape, texture, and imagery, these designs offer clues about the wearer’s identity, from their homeland and marital status to their social ranking and wealth.

Special sections on the sari, a complex, unstitched garment composed of a single length of fabric between five- and nine-yards long; the paisley motif, an intricate teardrop shape that developed from the Perisian “boteh” but which takes its name from a region in Scotland; and the turban illuminate both the history of Indian designs and how they have historically been co-opted by Western fashion’s trendsetters to fit each new time period’s zeitgeist. For example, the Mod movement and the Peacock Revolution in the 1960s readily adopted the Nehru collar, named for India’s first Prime Minister Jawahalal Nehru. Visitors can see an example of the collar on a jacket previously owned by John Lennon. This same design was worn by each member of The Beatles.

The exhibition then explores the use of animal imagery through featured objects by Judith Leiber and Hermès and a stunning peacock dress by Alexander McQueen, on loan from the FIDM Museum in Los Angeles.

Ending in the Harnett Gallery, Fashion’s Muse culminates with a selection of garments from contemporary Indian fashion designers, including couture fashions from Anamika Khanna’s Fall 2019 collection. Khanna blends traditional techniques with modern, tailored silhouettes to suit the global woman, creating exquisite garments that represent both the old world and the new.