Thursday Salute to Originals: Utopian Bodies
When thinking about utopia, most designers will recall imagined societies and cityscapes that we learned in architectural history books. Envisioned by the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier, utopia in the architectural realm is rendered with broad strokes, at the scale of urban planning and building massing. Seldom do we pause to think about how utopian ideals can infiltrate into other industries, such as fashion, and at a scale that rests not in our urban environments, but on our bodies.
The Utopian Bodies exhibit at Liljevalchs Museum in Stockholm depicts the impact of fashion on the future. The showcase, which runs through February 7, 2016, features both recognizable and avant garde designers from across the globe. Eleven galleries each present a different theme: Sustainability, Change, Technology, Craft & Form, Craft & Colour, Resistance & Society, Resistance & Beauty, Solidarity, Memory, Gender Identity and Love. These are heavy, deep subjects – not for the faint of heart to tackle – and the garments within them are steeped in multiple meanings.
Take a look at a sampling of fashion garments that put their own spin on utopian ideals. It’s remarkable how a piece can act as forward-thinking and nostalgic all at once.
Utilizing intelligent materials, interactivity, and playing on the scale of the human form, just browsing this visual feast inspires us to take materiality to a whole new level AND on a much more intimate scale. Salute to all those designers who challenge our deep-seated ideals!
Image Source: Yatzer