The art of men’s fashion – Il Sole 24 ORE

Undressed: the exploration of the male body

The composition of the classical beauty of Apollo del Belvedere and Hermes farnese, in relation to the ironic linen of Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood, to the prints and photographs of David Hockney, Lionel Wendt, Zanele Muholi, and Isaac Julien, one more Calvin Klein advertising, to land in the Spitfire dance segment (takes place in the world of men’s underwear advertising) by Matthew Bourne, combined with the Anatomyland Prototypes aerodynamic model designed by Aitor Throup for Wayne McGregor Director of the Venice Biennale Danza. To culminate with Rodin’s Bronze Age and the inclusiveness of the body today declined in all its facets.

Overdressed

Overdressed: the “dynamics of power” filtered by the elite medium of fashion with sumptuous materials and oversized silhouettes. Examples also from specialized literature with sometimes humorous implications, to illustrate the grandeur of the English tailoring cut by Savile Row (which found its natural connotation mainly in the corresponding Neapolitan and Florentine streets). From the armor to the cape by Dolce and Gabbana, to Sofonisba Anguissola, or how the trend begins to change: a pool table covered in a series of colorful dresses. The return to pink and scarlet with models by Harris Reed and Grace Wales Bonner. A 1960s yellow Carnaby Street suit, Roy Strong’s clothes, Alessandro Michele’s bright blue for Harry Styles and Randi Rahm’s custom ensemble – dress with full-length embroidered cape with pink lining – worn by Billy Porter.

Redressed

Redressed: the influence of military clothing in the civilian world and how much with the twentieth century mass production favored Mods, Teddy Boys, up to the renewed interest in leather by fashion houses such as Dior, Versace, Ford, Gucci and clothes 19th century evening dresses by Prada, Alexander McQueen and Raf Simons. This section collects paintings and photographs showing the changes in style and approach from Oscar Wilde, Claude Cahun and Cecil Beaton to the Beatles and Sam Smith. Again the sequin dress by Haider Ackermann for Timothée Chalamet.

The final part presents three iconic dresses worn respectively by Billy Porter, (smo-king signed by Christina Siriano), Harry Styles (suit and jacket by Michele for Styles, the first male protagonist on the cover of US Vogue) and Bimini Bon Boulash (wedding dress by Ella Lynch for the final of Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK), along with a film commissioned by Quentin Jones with Cadence Films. Unmissable.

Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswearuntil November 6, 2022
Sainsbury Gallery. Victoria and Albert Museum, London