The Google Art and Culture site provides virtual exhibitions that they call “stories”. These “stories” are curated collections, sometimes from various museums, which are collected to tell captivating narratives. I have an entire post on some of the world’s best online museums and art galleries but, if you’re looking for something which only requires a minimal amount of time, then these exhibits are for you! Each one takes only about 10 minutes to explore but will leave you feeling artistically refreshed.

Table Of Contents

1. The Goddess Lakshmi in Popular Culture
2. Stanisław Mateusz Ignacy Wyspiański 
3. Elsa Schiaparelli Collection at the V&A
4. The Life and Art of Frida Kahlo
5. The Star Trail at the National Gallery
6. Johannes Vermeer's 'The Procuress' 
7. Heaven, Hell, and Dying Well
8. Table at Versaille
9. İstanbul: The City of Dreams
10. Question of Identity
11. Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

The Goddess Lakshmi in Popular Culture

The Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, has been etched into visual arts since time immemorial. But her modern portrayal in the 20th century is a unique study well worth looking into! Together with The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the British Museum, this exhibition guides you through pieces of ephemera that contain images of the Goddess. The exhibition teachers you about the meaning behind these different representations as well as visual elements paired with Lakshmi.

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Stanisław Mateusz Ignacy Wyspiański 

The “fourth Polish Bard” Stanisław Mateusz Ignacy Wyspiański was one of the most multitalented artists to ever grace this earth. Wyspiański, born in Kraków, Poland, was a playwright, painter and poet, and an interior and furniture designer. His paintings were fiercely intimate, and he took great pride in continuing ancestral folk traditions. Many people outside of Poland have never heard of him despite his many contributions to arts and culture. One of the exhibitions, which are well worth your time to check out, takes you through the artist’s life. It features both photographs from his life, maps of his homes and pastel sketches and paintings. These images collected here are ones of the loved ones in his life.

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After getting this primer on his life, you can study the exhibition featuring drawings from his travels. From 1890–1895 Wyspiański travelled all over Europe and took his pastels with him. His fluid and gestural images feel like they were made in a rush of excitement upon seeing these new destinations. During his stay in Paris, where he went to study and improve his art, he missed his home of Kraków greatly. But when he returned home, he found himself missing Paris. Forever torn between the comfort of home and the thrilling excitement of the artistic community in those bustling big cities. His art seems to depict this eternal longing.

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Elsa Schiaparelli Collection at the V&A

The Victoria and Albert Museum (also known as the V&A) is the world’s leading museum of art and design. Founded in 1852, the V&A promotes innovation and communicates the importance of good design. As a graphic designer, I think these kinds of museums are so important! While the collection contains over 2.27 million objects, the most iconic part is their costume collection. The V&A’s costume collection is the most comprehensive in Britain, containing over 14,000 outfits. This also includes accessories and shoes, dating from 1600 to the present. One of the online exhibits will take you on a journey through time using items from their fashion and clothing collection. These items range from high-end couture to inspired ready-to-wear to innovative street style.

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One of my favourite parts of their collection is their assortment of Elsa Schiaparelli pieces. Elsa Schiaparelli was a genius of the 20th century. She broke the mould of traditional tailoring and combined fashion and surrealism in the most inventive ways. She used embroidery, embellishment and unusual materials to transform her garments into unique fashion statements. The online gallery will lead you through some of her most inventive pieces that you can study in great detail. Learning all about the influences and references used throughout.

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The Life and Art of Frida Kahlo

Located in Xochimilco, the Museo Dolores Olmedo is situated in an old stone house dating back to the 16th century. Inside it contains the world’s largest collections of works by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. The online exhibition tells the story of the life and art of Frida Khalo through her personal effects, photographs and live street views of where she lived. And of course, using a myriad of her paintings and sketches.

The Star Trail at the National Gallery

The National Gallery, located in Central London, was founded in 1824. The museum houses over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. Their collection contains such masterpieces as van Eyck‘s ‘Arnolfini Portrait,‘ Velázquez‘s ‘Rokeby Venus,‘ Turner‘s ‘Fighting Temeraire‘ and Van Gogh‘s ‘Sunflowers.’ One of the more interesting curated collections featured on the Google Arts and Culture website is all about the ‘Star Trail‘. In a variety of the paintings in the gallery, you can see stars painted in the skies. While some are more obvious and less metaphorical, others are hidden in less prominent places and have some deep, sometimes philosophical meanings. The exhibition guides you through this “star trail” and is an interesting way to view different pieces from their collection.

Johannes Vermeer’s ‘The Procuress’ 

The Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister or Old Masters Picture Gallery in Dresden, Germany, is home to the old empire’s most treasured paintings. The gallery is relatively small compared to some of the world’s most prolific museums. But it is honestly one of my favourites. There are about 750 paintings, lovingly curated, inside a stunningly decorated interior. The images range from the 15th to the 18th centuries. One of their most important pieces from the collection is the ‘The Procuress’ by Johannes Vermeer painted in 1656.

Having a Vermeer in your gallery is a real draw since the old master only is known to have painted 34 paintings in his lifetime. ‘The Procuress‘ is considered a very interesting and progressive painting of his. It represents sex work in a positive light. The painful woman portrayed in the photo looks contented and in control of her circumstances. But there are so many other aspects and hidden meanings to the painting that this virtual exhibit lends insight into.

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Heaven, Hell, and Dying Well

The J. Paul Getty Museum, located in Los Angeles, California, is one of the most surprising places to find some very old European artworks. The collection features European paintings, drawings, sculpture, decorative arts, and European, Asian, and American photographs dating from the eighth through the twenty-first century! But most importantly, it features a stunning collection of illuminated manuscripts. One of the most interesting online exhibitions from their collection is ‘Heaven, Hell, and Dying Well: Images of Death in the Middle Ages.’ An illuminated manuscript is a book in which the text is supplemented with such decoration as initials, borders, and miniature illustrations. Many of these little illustrations are innovative visions of heaven and hell as depicted by early Christian writings. And studying these representations of heaven, hell and the process of dying gives us a glimspe into the medieval way of life.

Table at Versaille

The Palace of Versaille has a beautiful online collection of some of their beautiful paintings that dot the castle walls. In addition to digitizing the paintings, they also have a digital collection of the palace’s antique plates and tableware used to serve the elaborate banquets. These paintings of the King’s table and old paper menus dating back to 1744, give us a peek into what Royal meals at Versaille would have looked like. But food back then wasn’t just for filling your belly; dining was considered a way to show off your greatness, wealth and power. And this exhibition takes you through those hidden meanings. It also provides a mirror into the life of the Kings and Queens of Versaille.

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İstanbul: The City of Dreams

Since we can’t be travelling the world ourselves, one of the ways we can travel virtually is through pictorial representations of faraway lands. But instead of looking at pictures, I prefer to look at art. The Pera Museum, located in Istanbul, Turkey, is an art museum that focuses on Orientalism in 19th-century art. Their collection of ‘Views of İstanbul and Daily Life in the Ottoman‘ will take you on a journey to lavishly decorated apartments and interiors. You’ll study earth-shatteringly beautiful fashions, fascinating customs and even more fantastical feasts!

Question of Identity

The Israel Museum, located in Jerusalem, contains the world’s best collections of art and Holy Land archaeology. Inside you’ll find works dating from prehistory to the present day relating to Jewish art and life. Their current online exhibitions called ‘Questions of Identity‘ is from their costume collection. The virtual art gallery examines how external appearances represent the “constant tension between segregation and integration that has always characterized Jewish existence in the Diaspora.”

Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

In London, England, the Museum of Brands has been amassing objects and packaging, which help tell the story of how brands shaped our world. As a graphic designer, I am someone who adores studying different packaging when I am travelling. And I love parts of museums where you can observe old ephemeral objects. It’s so interesting to me to see the fantastic packaging techniques employed hundreds of years ago. The Museum of Brand’s online exhibition, ‘Best Thing Since Sliced Bread: Packaging Innovation‘ studies the evolution of packaging design. It’s incredible to see how much some packaging has changed over the years and some hasn’t changed at all!

Hopefully, these fun exhibitions from all over the world give you a brief, fantastical respite from the dull world around you. Let me know if you’ve loved any other online exhibitions, and share with me the ways you are spending your time in lockdown!

Happy (Virtual) Travels, Adventurers

The post 11 of the Most Interesting Virtual Exhibitions You Can Explore Online first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Creating a Travel Capsule

My capsule dressing advice here can be adapted to various styles. I’ve created a very neutral base palette, which will work for almost everyone’s fashion sense. Most of the items I’ve included are pieces everyone already has in their closet. This way, you won’t need to go out and buy a whole bunch of new things. There are already plenty of more subdued examples of Fall dressing online. But I wanted to create a capsule styled towards the autumnal season with many colour pops throughout. I wanted to include some more alternative items but feel free to adapt these examples to your style. If you don’t like such bright colours, you can always use a similar hue in a different tone. Hopefully, you find something that works for you!

Check the Weather Before You Leave

Before we dive into the individual wardrobe times, here are some of my favourite general tips for packing for the Fall season. While this seems obvious, many people do a quick google months before they go and don’t really delve into the details the day before. If you’re expecting a colossal rainstorm, you might want to swap out a pair of cute ankle boots with a pair of sturdy rain booties. And despite the list below of average temperatures, you never know when there’s going to be a polar vortex or hurricane, which can drastically alter the weather. Check the forecast a few days before leaving to ensure you’ve got all the right things packed away and won’t be too surprised by the daily forecast.

Average Fall Temperatures in Mediterranean Europe:

September 26°c / 20°c with Average Precipitation 14mm
October 23°c / 17°c with Average Precipitation 53mm
November 18°c / 12°c with Average Precipitation 58mm

Try NOT to Look Like a Tourist

When you’re travelling, you want to be comfortable, of course! But being comfy shouldn’t look like you just woke up and rolled out of bed. Travelling for most people is perhaps when they take the most photos. So you want to be looking your best in them! We’ve all done it, threw on a pair of leggings just to avoid the idea of getting dressed when you’re jet-lagged. But when you see those photos afterwards, you’ll be disappointed. Many Mediterranean cities in Europe have the chicest fashion sense. So it’s nice to feel like you fit in. Looking like a tourist also means you might be an easy target for pickpockets.

Things NOT to wear:

• Baseball caps (just not a European thing)
• Athletic wear
• Dirty clothes
• High heels (yes, they look cute, but they’re hard to walk in and aren’t great for any old city with cobblestones)
• A cheap windbreaker (If you’re expecting inclement weather, bring a beautiful weatherproof coat which is still fashionable. Plastic windbreakers are a dead giveaway you’re a tourist)

Don’t Dress for Summer

If you’re visiting from a colder climate, it’s easy to want to throw on your summer clothes when it’s 28 degrees in Barcelona but 8 degrees back home. While I get this inclination, it will immediately make you look like a tourist. The minute the temp starts to drop, even a little, Barcelona’s residents begin to put away their shorts and start to dress for Fall. Fall is perhaps the chicest season, and you don’t want to miss out on these stylish outfits.

Pre-Plan Your Outfit

Take pictures on your phone before you leave off your pre-planned outfits. Especially if you’re tired or jetlagged, sometimes you don’t have time to think about your ensemble. So just popping on your phone and looking at your pre-plan outfits is an easy way to get effortlessly dressed for the day. I find this trick works insanely well, and it’s become one of my favourite tricks to looking super well put together without effort.

Know Your Rough Itinerary

To plan outfits appropriately, having a rough trip itinerary is an excellent idea. While you don’t need to know hour by hour what you’re up to, it’s a good idea to see if you will be going hiking, in which case you would have to bring a pair of hiking boots. Or if you’re planning on going to a fancy dinner restaurant, you might want to ensure you have an exquisite dress packed. If you are just having home-cooked meals at the hostel, you also want to ensure you don’t overpack those dressy items that won’t get used and take up much-needed waste in your carry-on.

Lean Towards Darker Colour Scheme

Choosing dark colours over light for most items sets you up for success. Darker tones are much more versatile. An LBD can quickly be dressed up compared to a white one with cute boots and fun jewellery. Also, if you have a smaller capsule, you’ll re-wear items multiple times. Darker colours will help mask any dirt you might pick up along the way and won’t need to be laundered as much.

Choose the Right Fabrics

During the Fall, it’s essential to wear the right materials. These are fabrics which are breathable but also warm. Wool, or any wool blend, is a great choice. Wool keeps the heat in when it’s cooler out but will also remain breathable, so you’re not just sweating inside a sauna as it begins to warm up. Wrinkles are a dead giveaway that you’re living out of a suitcase. Choosing fabrics like jerseys is great to pack since they won’t wrinkle. There are also lots of companies which make wrinkle-resistant fabrics which are a great choice.

Don’t Bring your Most Expensive Jewellery

Wearing expensive clothing or jewellery anywhere in the world can make you a target for pickpockets. This is a sign to them that you might have money to steal so I always find that travelling isn’t a time to bring those expensive pieces. Plus, when you’re jetlagged, you also don’t have the same kind of wits about you. I’ve lost a few pairs of earrings just with all the hustle and bustle of travelling, and thankfully they were all super cheap!

Try to Keep your Hair Simple

If you can get away without bringing a hair straightener or blow dryer, you’ll save a ton of space in your luggage. For someone people, this might mean keeping their hair up while travelling for ease, so I would make this a fun dressing exercise instead of a downer. I have fallen in love with these simple headbands for the Fall, which can really dress up any outfit. Velvet scrunchies or ribbons will also make a simple up-do a little fancier, and these take up almost no room in your suitcase.

Jackets

The coat you choose to bring might be one of your most important decisions. I have three options for you here, but you can pick out just two depending on the weather.

Faux Leather Moto Jacket: A sleek, faux leather black jacket is one of the most elegant items for your wardrobe. They look dressy paired with dark jeans or a dress but can look super street style when added to a more casual outfit.

Jean Jacket: A jean jacket is my ultimate travel must-have. They are so comfortable and yet also are such workhorses for any weather. They are adaptable and look as casual as they do chic.

Packable Puffer Jacket: This coat is SUPER lightweight and was honestly one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. It comes in various colours and can be compressed into a tiny ball. It’s the BEST for putting on in the morning and then stashing away in your bag when it warms up. I cannot express how lightweight it feels, but how much warmth it manages to keep in! SCIENCE! If you’re expecting torrential rain, this might not be the best, but an umbrella should be suitable for most rainy days as it’s rain-resistant (not proof).

Dresses

Long-Sleeve Dress: This yellow lace dress is a statement piece. Colourful dresses are great to bring since they are perfect for those more upscale evenings. This looser-fit style is comfy enough to wear all day without feeling constricted. Since it’s still all one colour, it can easily be dressed up or down and pair well with many items in the capsule.

Jersey Dress: Jersey dresses, especially those with pockets, are the perfect travel item. Light, wrinkle-free and easily layerable. I picked one with long sleeves for the Fall since it means you can wear it out on slightly less chilly days without a coat.

Long Sleeve Shirts

Cashmere Sweater: A cashmere sweater is one of those investment pieces which is ideal for travelling. It’s lightweight and breathable. And while it looks super lux, it feels so cozy and comfortable. The best of both worlds.

Deep V-Neck: A lightweight, deep v-neck is a simple but stylish look to throw on in the morning. There is just something about a v-neck which makes your entire outfit look smart. Pair that with a thin gold pendant, and you’re ready to hear out the door. This one is made from jersey, which is super easy for travelling as it doesn’t take up much room but is still full sleeves and won’t wrinkle.

Striped Shirt: A striped top feels like the perfect piece for your travel wardrobe no matter what the season but in Fall, I think it just pops! I love this one from ModCloth with a tiny fox in the top right which adds just a bit of fun to the simple, striped shirt!

Cardigan: Cardigans are great to pack with you since they can easily be layered on top of a shirt or dress and removed if it gets too hot. Or if it’s extra cold, you can always add a jacket on top. This luxurious wool cardigan in a bright burgundy is an excellent addition to the fall hues in the mix.

Short Sleeve Shirts

Camisole: A simple camisole is great for layering. This one has a bit of lace added, making it spiffy! It just looks a bit more thought out than a plain version. These come in all different colours so you can choose the best one for your wardrobe.

Typographic Tee: I adore a typographic shirt for travelling. When the words on the shirt seem to embody something about your travels, it just feels like the perfect thing to wear for killer photos. These little things can make a big difference in how you feel about your travel wardrobe. Don’t wake up and feel like you don’t like anything you brought. Wake up and be excited to wear what you did bring!

Blouse: This mustard-coloured blouse takes up practically no room in your suitcases. I love how bright it is; definitely a statement piece for photos! The little touch of a half-turtle neck and flared cap sleeves is one of those details that makes a big difference.

Bottoms

High-Waisted Skinny Jeans: Dark wash jeans in a skinny, high-waisted style are another great piece, as they seem to go with everything. Jeans are one of those items which can withstand weeks without washing and still maintain that fresh look! This is why all the bottoms I picked are made of denim.

Denim Skirt: A denim skirt is just one item I feel belongs to Autumn like nothing else. I picked light-wash denim for this item to provide a spectrum of tones for the bottoms.

Grey or Black Jeans: Dark wash denim or black jeans look super chic, and almost everyone already has one pair in their closet. If you have a pair that is dark enough, they can sometimes even look like blank slacks without the need for ironing.

Shoes

Flats: Pack yourself a pair of sophisticated flats. Easy to pack, lightweight and super cute. Leopard adds interest and texture to your shoes, making them look a bit more upscale. I went for a pair with the tiniest hint of a heel, so they remain extremely comfortable, but they also provide that elegant look you want if you’re wearing them out to a fancy dinner.

Ankle Boots: These are the most versatile shoes for Fall. They can look so sophisticated when paired with a dress, but they are super casual with bootcut jeans. Stick to ones with no big heel and the right insole for the most comfort when walking all day. 

The Modern Sneaker: Sneakers are often thought of as leisurewear wear, but there are so many styles available that look extremely dapper these days. Stick to low-profile sneakers; they look more dressy and less casual. They can be worn with skirts and dresses easily. Choose a sneaker in one or two colours. For me, I want to find something bright and colourful. But I also love these simple white kids as they go with EVERYTHING, and (when they’re clean) they look so modern.

Accessories

Infinity Scarf: An infinity scarf is essential for Fall and winter in Europe. You can wrap these around your neck and sometimes around your arms if caught in the rain, or the temperatures drop suddenly. It’s almost like a mini blanket!

Wool Hat: Even in the Fall, the sun is still out, and these wool hats are almost all you need to wear to suddenly turn an outfit from ordinary to super-stylish! Anyone who thinks they don’t look good in hats needs to try this one out because I truly feel like it suits everyone!

The Modern Backpack: Backpacks get a bad reputation for making you look like a tourist. But over the past year, I’ve seen more and more people wearing backpacks are high fashion. Chanel, Gucci and Dior have all come out with their own line of backpacks since people have finally realized they are so comfortable and easy to use but can also look amazingly chic! This piece from Modcloth is perfect for travelling since it’s extra secure. It has two belt loops to open and close it and also has some additional inside zippers to put your extra secure items. I think people go a little overboard regarding security, and most of those theft-proof bags are super ugly. This one works great and is just fiddly enough to keep out thieves but also be usable.

Sunglasses: There is still plenty of sun, and sunglasses are a fun accessory to bring that really brings out your personality. Choose whichever one is your favourite from your closet!

An umbrella (optional): Bring it along if you can see a ton of rain in the forecast and you have a sturdy yet compact one at home. If the forecast is pretty sketchy, I will leave this out. You can always buy one on the street; plenty of street vendors sell them during the storms. Or just jump into a department store where you can generally find them for sale pretty cheap.

PJs

One of the hottest trends this year is fashionable sleepwear which can be transitioned into daywear. One of the most popular companies doing this is Sleeper, which creates aw-worthy nightdresses and pyjamas that look like high-fashion womenswear. Having an outfit like this means you don’t need to pack pyjamas since you can wear just what you went to bed for dinner the next night. While Sleeper might be a bit lux for some people Target and even Zara, have also begun to come out with similar styles of night-into-day sleepwear. But the Atlanta Sleeper dress with the long sleeves is PERFECT for fall dressing.

Additional Packing Items:

• 2 bras
• one pair of underwear per day
• one pair of socks per day
• one pair of tights (great to layer if it’s extra chilly)
• Toiletry Bag
• External battery charger
• camera
• notebook and pen (I always keep travel notes, great way to reflect on your day)
• a book to read
• additional electorincs (kobo or other edreader, chargers etc.)

Example Outfits:

Below of some outfit ideas, I put together so you can get a taste of just how many looks you can put together from such a small capsule!

To download the checklist of all the items described in this post, click here!

Let me know what you’re favourite travel item for Fall is and how you style your wardrobe when travelling throughout the seasons!

Happy Travels Adventurers

The post The Ultimate Carry On Packing Guide to Europe in the Fall: What you NEED and What to SKIP first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. What is Heavenly Bodies
   • Hours
2. Curator Andrew Bolton
3. About the MET Cloisters
4. The Rockefellers
5. Victor and Rolf
6. Karl Lagerdelf & Chanel
7. Valentino
8. Clair McCardell
9. Rick Owens
10. Jean Paul Gautier
11. Virgin Mary Fashion
12. Gareth Pugh
13. Galliano
14. Christian Dior
15. The Garden of Eden
16. Secular Garments
17. Philip Treacy
18. Thom Browne
19. Alexander McQueen
20. Hieronymous Bosch

What is Heavenly Bodies

Heavenly Bodies explores “fashion’s ongoing engagement with the devotional practices and traditions of Catholicism.” It investigates the influence that religion has had on the cultural imagination and how it directly impacted the visions of fashion designers. Throughout the exhibition, there is no audio guide or a detailed map to direct you toward a starting or finishing point. I’ve created my own guided tour to help you discover what you’ll see where. I’ve broken this guide up into three different parts. To read up on the other two exhibition parts, click the following links: MET Vatican Collection | MET 5th Avenue.

Access and Admission

General admission to the museum is $25 for adults, $17 for seniors, and $12 for students. Your admission includes all the exhibitions and is valid for three consecutive days. This includes Met Fifth Avenue, the Met Breuer, and Met Cloisters. So if you’re planning on attending both the MET 5th Avenue and the Cloisters, just keep your sticker and receipt. That way you won’t have to pay again as long as you go within three days. You can buy your tickets online if you don’t want to wait in line when you get to the museum. Recommended during these popular exhibits.

Hours

The MET Cloisters is open seven days a week. Sunday–Thursday: 10 am–5:15 pm and Friday and Saturday: 10 am–9 pm. The best way to get to the Cloisters is to take the A train to 190th Street Subway Station. From the station, it is a beautiful walk through Fort Tryon Park. The park is a peaceful oasis from the busy city and provides stunning views of the Hudson River. The signage for the Met Cloisters is a bit sporadic but keep walking north, and you’ll reach it eventually.

Curator Andrew Bolton

Part of the journey to the Met Cloisters adds to the feeling of pilgrimage. Curator Andrew Bolton thought was a key part of the exhibition design. A pilgrimage “is a journey of spiritual significance, typically to a shrine or other location of importance to a person’s beliefs and faith.” For many, fashion is as spiritual as religion is for others. It allows them to express their creativity, their passions and their joy.

The Heavenly Bodies collection at the Cloisters focuses on faith’s quiet, reflective nature. The outfits are more complicated, require more thought and observation. And due to the remote location, allow you to have a more personal experience with the objects. Since the journey to the Cloisters isn’t short, fewer people seem to make their way out here. So your viewing will be much less crowded than perhaps at Met 5th Avenue.

About the MET Cloisters

What many might not know about the Met Cloisters is that it is not simply just an old building in the middle of New York but pieces of ancient medieval monasteries, brought stone by stone to the United States, where they were fitted together in a jigsaw-like fashion, to create this patchwork quilt of a structure. George Grey Barnard, an American studying in Europe in the 1900s, made a living buying and selling medieval treasures which unknowing landowners found on their farms.

But the discovery and beauty of these treasures became an addiction for Barnard. And as he made more and more money, he would find himself buying objects for his own collection instead of just selling them all off. When he returned to the United States before WWII, he brought dozens of medieval relics. Barnard bought a piece of land on the northern tip of Manhattan and turned his personal collection into a museum. He aimed to teach Americans the importance and beauty of Medieval European art. He called his church-like building George Grey Barnard’s Cloisters.

The Rockefellers

The Rockefellers bought the Cloisters in 1924 when Barnard was forced to sell, but the Rockefellers were devoted to preserving and expanding the collection. They bought an additional 66 acres of the parkland and added their medieval architectural collectibles to the expansion. Architects were brought on to rebuild a large and more refined version of Barnard’s church.

Their concept was a Neo-Gothic structure, each room masterfully thought out to a house within the walls, floors and ceiling, pieces from the collection. As such, the Cloisters feel like a monastic shrine, a place for contemplation full of rich histories. Even if the histories are from various places, they all come together to create this diving gem. In this majestic setting, you can better understand how influential the drama and iconography of the church would have been for designers and how they were inspired by these works of art to create their own.

Romanesque Hall

While there is no set path for the exhibition, I suggest you start in the Romanesque Hall and follow the guide which follows. I almost missed a few rooms, so by following this guide. Hopefully, you won’t make the same mistake. The Romanesque Hall features large 12th-century frescoes from Spain and a 13th-century stone doorway from Moutiers-Saint-Jean in Burgundy. The dazzling dress by Viktor & Rolf from their Russian Doll collection is framed in front of the stone doorway. As an opening piece, this dress is dazzling. She shines amongst the flat stones surrounding her, covered in thousands of Swarovski crystals.

On either side of the Victor and Rolf dress are two 12th-century wooden sculptures of the Virgin Mary. In either sculpture, we see the Christ child sitting on the Throne of Wisdom. These two sculptures haven’t been displayed together for hundreds of years, so it was special to see them together again. Despite being carved by different artists in different cities, their design is almost identical. The Throne of Wisdom is a symbol of how Mary made Christ incarnate, and without her, this child couldn’t have come into the world and given humanity the gift of wisdom.

Victor and Rolf

These sculptures are wonderful examples of how in the 12th century, the “cult of the Virgin Mary” began to develop. The Cult of the Virgin worshiped Mary in a way only God and Jesus had been worshipped. Sculptures were made of her and adorned with costumes and votives. In the fashion show featuring this dress, Victor and Rolf adorned their one model with layer upon layer of garments of incredibly lavish clothing. Like a reverse Russian doll. Each layer is more elegant and embellished than the next. In adorning her, the clothing acted like a physical form of devotion to their muse. 

Fuentidueña Chapel

Directly through the doors to the right of the Romanesque Hall is the Fuentidueña Chapel. The Fuentidueña Chapel is made from over three thousand limestone blocks from Spain, which form a half-domed apse. Upon the ceiling of the apse is a Catalan fresco of the adoration of the Magi. Hanging down from the ceiling is a 12th-century wooden crucifix. Staring up a the crucifix, her hands folded tenderly in front of her, is a mannequin wearing a simple, white Balenciaga gown from 1967. This room is dedicated to garments inspired or made for the baptism. The idea of rebirth is very powerful, whether in a religious or secular context.

The gown by Balenciaga is so clean-cut, and despite being located in this medieval chapel, it feels very modern. The gown is set on its own, not amongst the other groupings, highlighted by the light flowing through the stained glass windows. By separating this dress from the rest, the idea of it representing a person’s devotion to only singular holy light becomes all the evidence.

Karl Lagerdelf & Chanel

The other dresses along the walls are designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. They were inspired by gowns girls wore in France for their first communion. A large stone baptismal font from the 1100s is placed within the room to give some context to these outfits, and from afar, it looks almost like a baptismal scene. The fabrics which make up each outfit are pure white, mostly made of cotton, the simplest of fabrics. While not embellished or particularly eye-catching, these refined, plain garments still radiate so much energy. The idea of goodness is represented so powerfully here.

Saint-Guilhem Cloister

From the chapel, step out into the Saint-Guilhem Cloister. This cloister is located inside under a glass roof. The architectural elements in the room are made up of over 140 fragments of the Benedictine Abbey of St.-Guilhem-le-Désert in France. But what is a “Cloister,” you ask? A Cloister is a covered walkway or gallery with a central open-air garden. It is the central place of daily monastic life, where monks and nuns come to pray, reflect on their daily devotions and enjoy the splendours of god’s natural creations. The fashions displayed are presented on tall plinths which reach up almost to the ceiling. As if these holy-inspired outfits were launching themselves up to heaven.

Valentino

The two garments on these plinths are inspired by the shape of classical monastic buildings. The Valentino outfit with velvet embellishments was inspired by the Romanesque arches of the Colosseum in Rome. Increasingly larger and larger arches descend the length of the garment. The claps which hold the cape together are made from a golden abstraction of the image of Christ on the cross.

The second dressed mannequin wears a remarkable black cape and tunic covered in gold embroidered stars. These stars were inspired by Byzantine images of Mother Mary. She was robed in a bright blue cape covered with golden stars in these portrayals. Stars are the symbol of Mary’s eventual reign in heaven. The crown covered in stars added to the outfit is also slightly reminiscent of the crown of thorns. The garments are very severe, the black fabric feeling all-encompassing. They don’t allow you to think of anything else, much like monastic meditations, which would have been practised in Cloister spaces.

Langon Chapel

From here, we duct back into the Romasnques Hall and head straight into the Langon Chapel. The Langon Chapel is named for the seven Romanesque capitals from Notre-Dame-du-Bourg chapel in Langon, France, which decorates the central arch. Staring down out at you from the capitals are the faces of various saints and angels. This scene in the chapel is meant to evoke the sacrament of Matrimony. This room houses one singular gown, a wedding gown designed for the House of Dior by Marc Bohan.

The dress was made from one piece of fabric and was supposedly made using only two seams. In reality, there were actually four, but the myth is often more interesting than the truth. The use of so few seams is very symbolic since the garment Christ wore during his Crucifixion was made with one single seam. Bohan named the dress Hyménée, after Hymen, the Hellenistic god of marriage. The dress hides the face of the model with a large white veil, which resembles a nun’s habit. Nuns pledge themselves in marriage to the divine instead of another person, so using them as inspiration for this wedding gown is a perfect union.

Pontaut Chapter House

From the Langon chapel, head outside into the Pontaut Chapter House. The stone benches surrounding this outside portal are from a Cistercian monastery and date back to 1151. The Chapter House is where monks would have their daily meetings, sit, pray, or meditate. The Heavenly Bodies exhibit is taken outdoors here and places the fashions inside glass cases. This makes the garments look like they are almost set into the natural elements. 

The garments in this museum area are all inspired by various religious orders. The monastic inspirations can be seen in the garments’ simplicity and their monochromatic colour pallet. Colour is used in religious orders to differentiate the communities. Brown is associated with the Franciscans. White is worn by the Augustinians, and Black is associated with the Dominicans.

Clair McCardell

Claire McCardell was a designer who donned the term “monastic” for her collection, referring to any garment without a waistline which could be belted as the wearer desired. A few of her original dresses from this collection can be seen in the glass cases outside. While the glare from the sun during certain times of the day can be a bit difficult to see inside the case, it makes the viewer work harder to study the seemingly simple outfits. While they may appear very plain, the work and precision used to create something this perfect is sometimes more involved than the flashy dresses you saw at the Met 5th Avenue. The seamstresses have an almost meditative mindset. They get to ensure each stitch is as precise as a machine.

Cuxa Cloister

You are now standing in the central Cuxa Cloister. The Cuxa Cloister is the open-air courtyard that was the religious order’s nucleus. It is not only where they met but also where they grew herbs and flowers for the community they supported. The monks and nuns not only acted as religious teachers but were also healers and helpers. They would grow food for the poor who couldn’t afford to feed themselves and mend the wounds of the sick and injured.

Rick Owens

Two of the most controversial pieces in the exhibition are located outside the covered walkway of the Cloisters. These are by designer Rick Owens, and while from afar, they might look like a modernized version of monks’ soutanes, up close, you can see one large glaring difference. In the centre of their pants is a large “peephole.” He was inspired by the drunken monk stereotype from the Canterbury Tales. Owen was trying to make a statement about man’s naughty side and a slight commentary on how inappropriate actions could be forgiven by god. Despite being a piece from a 2015 collection, it is stirringly appropriate today.

Early Gothic Hall

From the exterior Cloisters, head back inside to the Early Gothic Hall. The Early Gothic Hall houses work from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, but the Heavenly Bodies Exhibit focuses once more on the Cult of the Virgin and combines stained glass and wood carvings of the Virgin Mary with gowns inspired by her as well.

Jean Paul Gautier

Along the walls, to the west, you can view gothic stained-glass panels from various English and French cathedrals. Stained glass was of the utmost importance during the Gothic era. It was bright and colourful yet also allowed light to flow into the church without diluting or obscuring. This was symbolic of Mary giving birth to Jesus while remaining a Virgin. Standing in front of the medieval stained glass is a dress by Jean Paul Gautier titled Lumière. It features a stained glass pattern of the Virgin Mary. A shawl draped over her shoulder was designed in the shape of the baby Jesus, giving the effect of her carrying the child in her arms. The details in the stained glass and leading are so realistic from afar that you might mistake it for a real stretch of glass, not a piece of fabric.

The other two dresses in this gallery are also by Gautier, from his “les Vierges” (the Virgins) collection, which focused on the Blessed Virgin Mary and the iconography, which has always been a focus of her devotions. When paintings, sculptures or statues were created of the Virgin Mary, they almost always featured one or all of these four iconic elements; a veil, the immaculate or sacred heart, a halo and the use of the colour blue, specifically lapis lazuli. 

Virgin Mary Fashion

The blue draping fabrics on both dresses are mirrored in the medieval wooden sculptures of the Virgin Mary. Each of the dresses is also detailed with a red heart. There are so many levels of symbolism in the Immaculate Heart; it is one of my favourite images in Christian symbology. The heart being visible outside Mary’s body symbolizes her undying love for the people, so powerful that her heart cannot be contained. A row of roses surrounds the heart; roses symbolize purity relating to her immaculate conception. Finally, the heart is pierced by a sword symbolizing her eternal sorrow for the child she lost. Whether you are religious or not, there is certainly something deeply moving about a mother’s pain for the loss of her child.

Gothic Chapel

From the Early Gothic Hall, we head downstairs towards the Gothic Chapel. This reconstruction is a modern interpretation of a European Gothic Chapel. Luminous Austrian stained glass climbs up towards the pointed arch ceiling. Four wooden statuaries stand in prayer below. Two of them feature a small, wonderfully detailed wooden awning. Placed throughout the room are seven mid-thirteenth and fourteenth-century tombs.

Gareth Pugh

On opposite sides of the chapel, we can see the fourteenth-century tombs of two Catalan counts of Urgell. These knights were members of the royal family who participated in the Holy Crusades. The crusades were a series of religious wars sanctioned to recover the Holy Land from Muslim rule. Going on a crusade was thought to redeem your soul if you feared you carried with you any sin. One of these knights was fabled to have brought back a relic of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. The figures of these holy knights are perfectly juxtaposed with dresses by Gareth Pugh and Olivier Theyskens which are found on high plinths, whose mannequins look down over their fallen comrades. These garments were designed all black but emblazoned with crosses across their bodies.

Galliano

In the centre of the room are three figures lying in repose. Two are the armoured gisant (a recumbent sculpture of a deceased person shown usually with arms crossed over the chest) knights of the d’Alluye family. The outfits they are wearing for eternity, carved here in stone, are the pieces of armour and clothing they would have worn daily. Garments from this period are extremely hard to come by since most were not properly preserved and have not aged well with the ravages of time. But here, these stone versions are a spectacular example fashion of the time, and every little detail and embroidery is crystal clear in this dark stone.

In the centre of the medieval stones is an incredible piece by John Galliano. This dress was designed to look like a suit of armour, with fabrics layered to appear as plate mail. On one sleeve, she dons an enormous metal armour, giving the impression of Joan of Arc. Her headpiece is made of crystals, sewn into malleable metals, in the shape of three crowning dragons. In medieval times dragon was symbolic of independence, leadership and strength and, therefore, often important to ancient military iconography.

The Glass Gallery

Continuing on through the Basement level, we walk into the Glass Gallery. The Glass Gallery features a row of the fifteenth and sixteenth-century silver stained glass lancet windows which look out into Bonnefont Cloister. Since this room looks out into the gardens, all pieces here are inspired by the Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden is one of those stories that, even if you’ve never been to church, you know that story. It has high drama and is wickedly visual and, as such, is a point of inspiration for many designers, even the secular ones.

The first dress you’re greeted by right as you walk in the doors is a dramatic dress by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli for Valentino. The dress was inspired by a medieval painting by Lucas Cranach, the Elders of the Garden of Eden. Meticulous embroidery brings the iconic scene alive. It feels so delicate and otherworldly. The embroidery featured here reminds us of some of the incredible embroideries we saw in the Vatican collection at the 5th avenue location. How those nuns created scenes from the bible to inspire the congregation in church, Chiuri and Piccioli have created that same kind of magical inspiration for their public.

Christian Dior

Along the length of the glass gallery are a series of trees and hidden amongst them are various dresses by Jun Takahashi and Raf Simon for Christian Dior. Each of these dresses is created using a scene from Hieronymous Bosch’s triptych, ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights.’ Takahashi and Simon transformed these brilliant paintings into lush and dynamic patterns, complimenting them with modern cuts and striking ornaments. Bosch’s triptych is one of the most iconic and powerful depictions of Eden, and its imagery is so dense and sumptuous that it easily lends itself well to printed patterns.

The Garden of Eden

At the end of the row of trees stands one singular dress encased in glass. The dress is made with thousands of gold threads and formed into the shape of wheat, which springs forth from the dress. Wheat is an incredibly important element in Christian symbology. Wheat is the ingredient from which the bread and body of Christ are made; therefore, wheat is often used to symbolize Jesus. As wheat is another natural element from the garden, it fits nicely with the Eden-inspired dresses.

The Treasury

The next room we enter is the Treasury. The Treasury features ancient illuminated manuscripts, prayer books, various reliquaries and precious metalwork objects from the eleventh through the fifteenth century. Often, rich patrons of the church would donate money to have works of art created for the church’s Treasury. It was a way for them to, in a sense, atone for their sins by funding beauty for the church. Artists were given huge sums of money to create goblets, vestments, books and more. Today, modern artists are just as inspired by these pieces as the public was when they were first created in medieval times. At the door to the Treasury, you are greeted by this huge and layered blood-red gown. Across the skirt of the gown are painted letters and words. She looks like one of the old illuminated manuscripts come to life.

Secular Garments

The fashions featured in the Treasury are combinations of secular garments and items designed for use in the modern-day church. A dress by Dior features a chalice made from layers of lace woven onto the bodice. The lace was used to mimic the incredibly ornate medieval chalices featured in the Treasury. A cope created for World Youth Day is located in a case nearby, decorated with a rainbow of crosses and golden embroidery. This modern design is a stark contrast to medieval treasures, but the colourful designs reflect the bright jewels inside the various pieces.

Inside the woodcarvings room, in a glass case, is the silver crown of thorns designed by Shaun Leane, a master goldsmith and metalworker for Alexander McQueen. Metal artisans were seminal to the ecclesiastical artistry of the medieval era. They transformed pieces of iron, silver and gold into otherworldly works of art. And the partnership between McQueen and Leane was similarly transforming in the early 2000s.

Bonnefont Cloister

Before heading back upstairs to the rest of the exhibition, take a moment to explore the Bonnefont Cloister. Even though they do not house pieces from the Heavenly Bodies Exhibition, it is still a gorgeous place to explore. From here, you can look over to Fort Tryon Park and the Hudson River. The name of these Cloisters comes from the plant-inspired capitals used throughout, which are from a monastery in Bonnefont-en-Comminges in France. Walk amongst the multitude of growing flora. These medieval plants were all used by nuns and monks to create medicine, food and materials for artists who worked for the church. 

Boppard Room

Taking the staircase opposite the Treasury, we return upstairs into the Boppard Room. The Boppard Room’s dazzling feature is the six tall stained-glass windows which the name is the room is named after. They were recovered from a Carmelite church in Boppard, France. The glass dates all the way back to 1440. In the centre of the trio of glass windows on the left, we can see the gleaming blue lapis lazuli robe of the Virgin Mary patterned with golden bouquets of wheat. As mentioned before, wheat symbolizes the body of Christ, but when worn by the Virgin Mary, the wheat symbolizes her nourishment of humankind and god’s bounty. Inside a glass case opposite the stained glass is a Chanel gown made of silk tulle with embroidered wheat sown into the design, reflecting the design from almost 400 years prior.

Philip Treacy

Sitting in front of the medieval reliquary from the Netherlands, featuring various busts of female saints, are two curved straw hats by milliner Philip Treacy. Treacy was inspired by a wimple featured on the television show “The Flying Nun.” Wimples were medieval headdresses made from a large piece of cloth worn around the neck and chin and covering the top of the head. Despite having so much movement in the design, the hats are almost weightless, like the wings of an angel.

Unicorn Tapestries Room

From the Boppard Room, we head into the iconic Unicorn Tapestries room. The Unicorn Tapestries, specifically the collection’s final piece, is perhaps the most well-known image from the Met Cloisters. Inside this rather small and quiet room are seven wall-sized tapestries depicting the story of “The Hunt of the Unicorn.” While the tapestries have faded over time, the details woven in the imagery are still magnificent. Flora and fauna, mythical beasts and costuming of the lords and ladies inside these intricate tapestries give us a glimpse into the life of these medievals royals.

The titular piece in the collection is that of the unicorn inside a circular pen, pomegranate juice dripping down from a tree onto the pure white beast. In Christian symbology, pomegranates are an important representation of Christ’s resurrection. Religious scholars have compared the unicorn to Christ himself and the pomegranates juice on the unicorns back to a form of stigmata. In some scenes, you can even see the unicorn with a crown of thorns around its head. Secular interpretations correlate the piece more towards the bond of marriage. The circular cage represents the wedding ring, and the pure white unicorn symbolizes virginity before the marriage.

Thom Browne

In the centre of the room is a brilliant white wedding dress designed by Thom Browne. Embroidered onto the dress is the image of a unicorn in gold thread. I was accompanied by a life-size unicorn puppet when I walked down the runway. Walk around the dress to see the red threads coming out of the animal’s back, corresponding to the drops of red pomegranate juice from the tapestry. Since it is a wedding dress, the red has also been interpreted as a symbol of fertility.

Nine Heroes Tapestry Room

From the Unicorn tapestries, we walk into the Nine heroes tapestry room. The nine heroes tapestry is the oldest in the Met’s collection. It features the figures of nine heroes, both fictional and historical. These knights’ tales taught people valuable life lessons and attitudes to model their behaviour after. It was meant to be inspirational for the prince for whom the artwork was made. Inspired by the densely woven fabrics worn by warrior monks, Craig Green created a menswear collection drawn from the imagery of crusading knights. The garment was made from hundreds of woven materials, most of them resembling Islamic prayer mats.

Merode Room

Head back outside to enter the Merode Room. This room features the Annunciation Triptych by the workshop of Robert Campin. This piece was created as private devotion for its donor, and the rest of the room reflects this idea of prayer in private spaces. In the centre of the painting is an image of the Virgin Mary, enrobed in red velvet. This design mimics the dress by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli for Valentino standing in the corner of the room. The sleeves of the dress were made to look like the wings of an angel, which were even quilted to look like feathers.

Late Gothic Hall

The final room on tour is the Late Gothic Hall. It is the largest gallery in the Cloisters and features the most modern (well, modern for gothic art, I suppose) pieces in the collection. They range from the later fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries and are mostly artworks dismantled from larger altarpieces which were once the central focus of these gothic churches.

A striking golden dress in the centre of the room immediately draws your eye. The mannequin stands in front of an old golden altarpiece from Spain featuring images of the Virgin Mary. This dress was designed by Dolce and Gabbana for a devotional sculpture in the church. The dress was also inspired by the MET’s painting of Our Lady of Guaopulo. Our Lady of Guapulo is always dressed in bright gold, her incredible spirit glowing against the darkness.

Alexander McQueen

Many of the dresses on display are by Alexander McQueen. McQueen drew huge amounts of inspiration from religion. He loved medieval and gothic religious art, the way they used colour and drama, much like his designs, to evoke emotions and stir the soul. Early Netherlandish paintings were especially incredibly powerful, both for better and worse. 

The collection he created before his death, Angels and Demons, focused on this subject matter. High on a plinth along the wall, we can see one of McQueen’s dresses printed with a panel from a triptych of the Last Judgment by German painter Hans Memling. It portrays Saint Michael sending the dead’s souls to heaven or hell. McQueen was always drawn to the darker side of religious art and liked how it didn’t shy away from the sins humans are prone to. But all the while also representing how Christ and the angels are here to help humankind rid themselves of the darkness and bring them into the light.

Hieronymous Bosch

Hieronymous Bosch, which we previously saw used in the Garden of Eden room, is once more used by McQueen, but this time, the focus of the inspiration is on The Last Judgment, and the imagery is darker and more ominous.

Along the wall, we see two pieces facing one other. One is a gothic stone angel, the other a dress by John Galliano from his Fallen Angels collection. His angels were ones whose wings had been clipped. He was inspired by classical dress shapes and Greecian fabrics. The way the drapery was created resembles the stone figure so strongly that it seems like Galliano has brought it to life here.

This brings us to the end of the exhibition. There is so much to see, but since the exhibition is running into October, there is plenty of time to go back, study your favourite pieces more precisely, or even get lost in the peaceful serenity of the Cloisters.

The post A Complete Guide to the MET Heavenly Bodies Exhibition at the Cloisters New York City first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. Access and Admission
   • About Heavenly Bodies
2. Byzantine Galleries
   • Versace
   • Wedding Dress
3. Byzantine Apse
4. Apse Gallery
   • Milagros
   • Ex-Votos
   • Byzantine Cross
5. Medieval Europe Gallery
   • Chapel of Our Lady of Compassion Dress
6. Medieval Sculpture Hall
   • Monks & Nuns Garments
   • Godelieve
   • White & Gold
   • Cardinals
   • The Sound of Music
7. Saints and Angels
   • Immaculate Heart
   • Mugler
8. Medieval Treasury
   • Crown of Thorns
9. The Robert Lehman Collection
   • Rodarte

Access and Admission

The MET is open seven days a week. Sunday–Thursday: 10 am–5:30 pm and Friday and Saturday: 10 am–9 pm. To get to the MET the best way unless you’re within walking distance is to take the subway. The subway in New York is super easy to navigate and since there’s pretty much traffic 24/7 it’s much better than a taxi. The closest stations to the MET are 86 St, 77 St or  81 Street-Museum of Natural History Station.

General admission to the museum is $25 for adults; $17 for seniors; $12 for students. Your admission includes all the exhibitions and is valid for three consecutive days. It includes the Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters. So if you’re planning on attending both the MET 5th avenue and the Cloisters just keep your sticker and receipt. That way you won’t have to pay again as long as you go within three days. You can buy your tickets online if you don’t want to wait in line. Highly recommended during these big-ticket exhibits.

About Heavenly Bodies

Heavenly Bodies explores “fashion’s ongoing engagement with the devotional practices and traditions of Catholicism.” It investigates the influence that religion has had on the cultural imagination. As well as the ways in which it directly impacted the visions of fashion designers. Throughout the exhibition, there is no audio guide or a detailed map to direct you. I’ve created my own guided tour to help you discover what you’ll see where. I’ve broken this guide up into three different parts, to read up on the other two parts of the exhibition, click the following links: MET Vatican Collection | MET Cloisters.

Byzantine Galleries

After viewing the Vatican Collection, head back upstairs to the Byzantine Gallery. The Byzantine Galleries focus on designers who were influenced by Sacred Spaces; the interior of Cathedrals and churches, and who brought elements from those spaces into the garments. The dresses are paired with fragments of floor mosaics from the 5th century as well as pieces of Byzantine jewellery and silverware. The mannequins each stand high aloft of tall plinths. The dresses are still clearly visible and yet are somewhat separated from the historical art along the walls.

The above Dolce & Gabbana collection was inspired by the brightly coloured tile mosaics found in the Cathedral of Monreale in Sicily. Some of the mosaics in the Cathedral date as far back as 547 AD. Portraits of iconic people from the Bible make up the mosaics on the dresses surrounded by large gemstones, allowing it to sparkle under the lights. The job of an architect when creating a cathedral was to create heaven on earth. The same kind of concept appears here in fashion. Gold thread was used along with real stones to create a garment which appears otherworldly and transports the wearer to another plane of existence. While the iconography might be antiquated, the shape of the dresses is modern and highly wearable. I was dying to just take one home with me. 

Versace

On the opposite hallway to the D&G collection are rows of mannequins with bright, long blonde hair, wearing what from afar might look like medieval armour. Upon closer inspection, you can make out the large gemstone crosses emblazoned on the dresses. The fabric used to create the dress mirrors the look of chain mail. These are from Versace’s last collection in 1997. Each dress is decorated with the bejewelled crucifixes.

The collection was the last one he produced before his untimely assassination later that year. Versace struggled with his health in the years before this collection debuted. And it seems understandable how his religion would play heavily on his mind. As death seemed to creep closer and closer, even unknowingly. In adorning his dresses with the symbol of the cross, one wonders if it was some kind of absolution or confessional. To purge himself of any sin before his passing. In retrospect of his murder, the dresses are even more powerful to look at. Especially all lined up together like this.

The first gold dress in the procession with a large cross spanning the entire height and width was actually based of a real Byzantine gilt silver cross from the MET. Gianni Versace saw this cross when visiting the MET years prior and was overcome with inspiration. You can see the cross still displayed in the same gallery today adjacent to the fashions.

Wedding Dress

The last dress in the room is a beautiful wedding gown. This dress is the only one designed in silver and stands as a stunning finale piece. A veil covers the head of the mannequin and a large diamond crucifix, replete with diamonds, is placed over her face. Covering her eyes.

Byzantine Apse

In between the Byzantine hallways, in a hidden alcove, is the reconstruction of a Byzantine apse containing 6th & 12th-century mosaics as well as pieces of old Byzantine cathedrals. This little area is tucked away and many people seem to miss it. Inside you’ll find three pieces from Gianni Versace’s 1991 collection. Upon these rainbow-adorned bustiers and jackets are images of the Madonna. All set against a backdrop of original religious mosaics from the period.

In the centre is an emerald green jacket featuring the mother Mary with baby Jesus in her arms. Surrounded by a rainbow halo or jewels. Gemstones in all shapes and colours cover the entire jacket. Where there aren’t jewels, they are detailed embroidery flowing up the sleeves. The level of detail that has been placed into the creation of the jacket makes it feel more like a crown jewel. Rather than a runway look.

Apse Gallery

After the Byzantine Galleries, poke your head into the small Apse Gallery, located in front of the Medieval Europe Gallery. In here is one of my favourite pieces. This is Jean Paul Gautier‘s Ex-Voto gown from his Spring/Summer collection in 2007. From afar the dress looks like a blend of fashion and armour. It is covered with copper and silver plates with the images of saints and angels, as well as different bodies parts hammered into the metal. The delicate grey tulle drapes down from the sleeves all the way to the floor. She looks almost ghostly and angelic. An “ex-voto” is a religious offering.

Milagros

These are extremely popular in Mexico, where they are called “Milagros”. You purchase a different milagro which reflects the thing you’re struggling with. Hearts for someone longing for love. Images of the mother mary for something wishing to have a child, and even images of body parts to heal injuries and illnesses. These are then pinned to images or life-size statues of patron saints in order to fulfil your desires through prayer. The dress itself feels like a walking devotional. Almost as if the model herself is a vessel for all the sins of mankind.

Surrounding the dress in glass cases are a series painted icons, cross reliquaries and metalwork from the Medieval period. Each of them feels like they could themselves be a part of her dress. And all act as inspiration for the design.

Ex-Votos

In front of the Ex-Voto dress are a series of black leather jackers. Two of them, on either end, are by a Versace, one by Gianni and the other by Donatella. Gianni Versace’s 1991 leather “Perfecto” jackets were embroidered with green, gold and ruby red Byzantine crosses. 20 years after his death, his sister, Donatella, reimagined them for her spring 2018 collection. The Byzantine cross, specifically like the ones mimicked in these jackets, are often used in processions, often during funerals. And it seems poignant to see them here, especially in Donatella’s garment as a nod to her brother after his death.

Byzantine Cross

In the centre grouping of the black jackets is my favourite, a Christian Lacroix stunner with an enormous “crux gemmata” on the front. To the right of the jacket, in a glass case, is an original crux gemmata from 1180. These crosses are covered in glass cabochons. Cabochons are rounded gemstones which have been highly polished but contain no sharp edges. The crux was the most important piece of the church’s treasury in the medieval era. These bejewelled crosses were used in large processions to usher in important parts of the Christian calendar. The use of the crux on the front of the jakcet is an impactful statment for anyone to make and the beautiful gemstones inlaid into the gold are absolutely dazzling.

Opposite the jackets are a collection of cross pendants and accessories, both from the Byzantine period and modern day. Coco Chanel owned an original copper cross pendant from the Byzantine period, lent to the MET for the exhibition, and was so inspired by its design she copied it almost identically for her collection. Chanel’s devotees loved her version of the cross pendant and wore it as a sign of their adoration for her brand. From one symbol of devotion to another, the power of the cross is universal.

Medieval Europe Gallery

Past the Apse Gallery is the Medieval Europe Gallery. This room is centred around a large marble altar canopy from the 12th century. Around the perimeter of the room are some gorgeous original stained glass windows, making you feel as if you have entered a part of the church. The Medieval Europe gallery focuses on designers who created garments for saint statues inside churches, specifically for the virgin and child.

Located beside the marble altar is a stunning dress in ivory with a sky blue cape embroidered all over with gold threads designed by Riccardo Tisci. Dressing sculptures is a tradition that dates back to the middle ages. Wooden statues made to appear like important saints were carried in ceremonial processions and adorned with costumes and votive offerings. During different times of the year, the statues would be dressed differently to signify the change in the religious calendar.

Chapel of Our Lady of Compassion Dress

The blue and cream dress was designed as a vestment for the Madonna in the Chapel of Our Lady of Compassion in Paris. It is a reworking of an original design once worn by the saint in the 1500s. The first dress was made by the Sisters of the Order of the Poor Benedictine. It was hand embroidered and took over 3,000 hours of labour to complete. This led to a papal order in 1530 to ban such lavishness and excess since it was considered immoral and indecent. Thankfully, hundreds of years later we don’t just see this lavishness as a sin but rather as a testimony to the importance and love people have for the Madonna. They want to adorn her with treasures and make even images of her form as heavenly as possible.

The other stunning figure in the room is inspired by Our Lady of Guadalupe, popular mostly in Spain. The outfit, designed by Yves Saint Laurent, was also inspired by the statue of the Virgin Mary atop the spire of Milan’s cathedral. Our Lady of Guadalupe is iconic for the presence of her ornate crown and rays of light which emanates from her body. Gold is such a highly symbolic colour for the church. It symbolizes majesty, joy, and celebration. Her crown here is made up of gold coral. During the 18th century coral was one of the most precious treasures and since the seas were as of then so unexplored, it was almost mythical. By creating the Virgin’s crown from gold coral it is elevating her majesty to an almost fantastical level.

Medieval Sculpture Hall

Walking into the sculpture hall, you truly feel like you’re walking into a Medieval Cathedral. The layout is similar to that of a traditional church with a nave, central aisle, two side aisles and an enormous three storey choir screen. These choir screens were used before reformations to create a distinct barrier between the divine and the earthly plane, where the common people prayed and where the priests preached. In this room they even have choral music playing throughout, giving the space that extra air of gravitas.

Monks & Nuns Garments

In the exhibition, the choir screen is used to divide fashions inspired by the nuns and clergymen and the garments inspired by holy saints and angels. The left aisle is dedicated to fashion inspired by priestly robes and monks garments.  One of the most iconic pieces of the ecclesiastical dress is the black cassock or soutane. This is the uniform most people would recognize as a priestly garment. These soutanes inspired many different fashion designers over the years. 

Other than the black soutane, nun’s are distinguishable by their white veils. The wearing of these veils is derived from a biblical commandment which states that “every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head” -First Corinthians 11:3. These veils became a source of huge inspiration for designers due to their structural shape and distinct silhouette they give to the body.

Godelieve

One of the MET’s most impressive medieval paintings is the multi-panel depiction of the life and sainthood of Godelieve. Godelieve was a pious young girl who wanted to devote her life to god and become a nun. Her mother and father, however, wanted her to marry a wealthy nobleman. She was forced into the marriage but before the wedding could take place she fled.

Two servants caught her but when they brought her back, her husband demanded the servants throw her into a pool. There she drowned and the husband pretended her death was by natural causes. Her husband married again but their first daughter was born blind, as his new wife Edith was cursed by Godelieve. To repent, they both set off on holy pilgrimages and each founded a Monastery and Abbey respectively. Many of the garments in this historic painting can be seen as almost direct references to the fashions on display.

One of my favourite outfits was designed by Jean Paul Gautier in 1997. The design is all black, much like the priest’s cassocks but in the centre of the dress, there is a small beaded image of the mother Mary. On either side of the image are two wings which can be opened and closed around the figure. This mimics the layout and function of medieval triptych paintings. Similar to the three panel layout of the painting of Godelieve above.

White & Gold

Colour is very important in the Catholic church to establish hierarchy. The pope is almost always dressed in white and gold. White symbolizes purity, holiness and virtue. Gold thread is brilliant and sparkles in the light and as such, symbolizes the presence of God. No better example of the elevated nature which white and gold embues is this brilliant piece by the House of Dior, designed by John Galliano for their haute couture collection. 

Priests, bishops and nuns all wear black as it is a symbol of repentance and simplicity. Bishops’ robes can be distinguished from the priests by the red trim. They call this colour “amaranth” named after the flower from which the dye was derived from. Amaranths are a flower which seems to bloom all year long and therefore has become a symbol for immortality.

Cardinals

Cardinals wear long red robes. Red is the colour of princes, as they act like the princes to the kingdom of God. Red also symbolizes the blood of martyrs. This Valentino gown was designed to look like the great cape or “cappa magna” worn in processions by cardinals. Valentino’s interpretation here marries modesty and sex appeal with that severe plunging neckline but use of layers upon layers of fabric.

Some of the outfits here mimic the look of the traditional monastic vestments so much, upon first glance you might assume they are the real thing, albeit with perhaps a few alterations and luxury fabrics. One such gown caused an uproar when it first came down the runway in 1956. The “Little Priest” dress was designed by Sorelle Fontana and made famous when it was worn by Ava Gardner in their Cardinal collection. It is directly influenced by a cardinal’s soutane, even down to the red trim and long gold cross.

The Sound of Music

Thom Browne‘s womenswear collection inspired by the Sound of Music plays with the monastic looks as well. It is often surprising to see these modest and relatively refined elements of these vestments in women’s fashion where dressing is often shockingly provocative and revealing. It is perhaps the departure from a more alluring look to this structured, put together appearance which made these collections so poignant for modern women.

Standing at the entrance to the choir screen, turn around and look up. The balcony inside the room is filled with mannequins, each wearing a simplistic, white choir gown. These were designed by Balenciaga in the 1960s. He was inspired by the uniforms of his seamstresses in his studio who were also members of the choir. He donated the garments to the church and they are on loan here, standing in the spotlight. Many people seem to miss this one part of the exhibit so be sure to take a moment to observe it.

Saints and Angels

Behind the choir screen, we enter the realm of the divine, with garments inspired by the cult of saints and angels. At the entrance, you’re greeted by the gold-clad angel designed by Mugler in 1984. The angel was based on iconic images of the Arch Angel Gabriel. The delicate drapery, pooling around the body feels almost ethereal. He is the perfect welcoming figure as you make your way into the heavenly realm.

In front of the choir, screen stands a heartstopping model wearing what appears to be a wedding gown, covered in flowers. In the middle of her chest is a copper heart with a dagger struck through the centre. This is a dress designed by Christian LaCroix, made to be the show-stopper in his 2009 collection. And one can understand why. Her outfit resembles the image of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Immaculate Heart

There are so many levels of symbolism in the Immaculate Heart, it is one of my favourite images in Christian symbology. The heart being visible outside Mary’s body symbolizes her undying love for the people, so powerful her heart cannot be contained in her body. A row of roses surrounds the heart, roses are a symbol of purity relating to her immaculate conception. Finally, the heart is pierced by a sword symbolizing the eternal sorrow she has for the child she lost. Whether you are religious or not, there is certainly something deeply moving about a mother’s pain for the loss of her child.  LaCroix’s dress takes elements from this symbol and threads them into the literal fabric of the dress.

Mugler

Blue and white together are traditionally the two colours associated with the Virgin Mary. In many medieval paintings, she is seen clothed in a blue robe, blue the same colour as the sky, to symbolize her position as the queen of heaven. White is also the symbol of virtue and purity which exemplify her virginity. In 1984, Mugler‘s famous runway featured an audience of over 6,000 spectators and combined fashions with theatrical sets, music, and choreography. The culmination of the show ended with actress Pat Cleveland descending from the ceiling in a wash of dry ice above a series of glass spires. She was adorned in an outfit designed as a modern-day Madonna complete with the same blue and white robes seen in medieval paintings.

On either side of the choir screen are two figures lying in repose. The one on the right is a medieval effigy of a royal knight. He is seen wearing his armour and holding his sword in his hands. On the opposite side is a dress by Jean Paul Gautier from 1994. The dress is a simple, yet beautifully constructed, linen gown with the addition of an immaculate embellished shoulder piece which resembles armour. The design of the outfit feels like a reference to Joan of Arc as well as the medieval sepulchre art found opposite.

Medieval Treasury

The Medieval treasure contains various works from the Gothic period in France. Stained-glass panels, carved ivories, manuscripts, and goldsmiths’ work are all lovingly displayed along with accessories from the Heavenly Bodies Collection. The first piece you’re greeted by is the iconic wooden angel wings by Alexander McQueen. McQueen’s angel with plywood wings is set against the backdrop of a 14th-century wooden altarpiece. Both depict angels carved out of wood, but their take on the biblical creatures each reflects the cultural sensibilities of the time.

Crown of Thorns

A gothic headpiece by Givenchy covered in garnet rosary beards is set beside a gothic stone carving of Jesus with the crown of thorns. The Gothic subculture was prevalent in modern fashion in the 80s and 90s. The connection between goths and Catholicism is actually very tightly knit. Gothic fashion derives much of their influences from Gothic Cathedrals. The ornate gold and silver crosses, the embellishments and the black-clad uniform much like the same ones worn by priests. 

The Robert Lehman Collection

After touring the rest of the accessories in the treasure head across the courtyard to Gallery 955 in The Robert Lehman Collection. The Lehman collection is home to nineteenth and twentieth-century European paintings. During Heavenly Bodies it contains a small grouping of angelic fashions in a spectrum of colours. These are a collection from Rodarte and the House of Lanvin. These women dressed in heavenly robes inspired by one of histories greatest artist, Fra Angelico. Fra Angelico was an early Italian Renaissance painter described by Vasari in his Lives of the Artists as having “a rare and perfect talent”. The colours used throughout his pieces came to define renaissance painting.

The blue dress with golden embellishments is lifted straight from the canvas of Fra Angelico’s frescos. In fact, Lanvin was so awe-inspired by Angelica that they copied some of the depictions of garments from the frescos almost exactly for their collection. Prooving that even centuries don’t separate what people see as beautiful, even in fashion.

Rodarte

To the right, is a collection of golden figures with radiating headpieces by Rodarte from 2011. This dress is an interpretation of Bernini‘s emotional “Ecstacy of Saint Thersa” in Rome. Looking at them together one can clearly see the inspiration but even without them side by side, it is impossible not to feel the brilliant power of the dresses alone.

Behind the rainbow collection is a set of dresses once more from Mugler‘s 1984 collection as well as a few pieces by Roberto Capucci in 1987. These dresses are made of delicate metallic fabrics which have been carefully pleated and draped into silhouettes of angelic figures. The peaked shoulders form the appearance of wings. They almost look like golden statuaries and yet with the slightest breath of wind their seemingly solid forms gently bend and sway.

This completes your journey through the MET 5th Avenue Collection of the Heavenly Bodies Exhibit. But the adventure is not over just yet. Andrew Bolton, the curator of the exhibit, designed it to be like a pilgrimage. And to see the entire vision, you must next travel out to the MET Cloisters to see the final instalment. Having seen the MET Cloisters exhibit I must implore you to do the same, and if you can’t make it out there, be sure to read my guide, because it truly is such a powerful and significant part of understanding the entire exhibition. The show is on until October 8th, 2018, so even if you don’t make it out there right away, be sure to see it before it ends!

The post Discover the Ethereal Beauty of the MET Heavenly Bodies Exhibition first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. Access and Admission
2. What is Heavenly Bodies?
   • Entry to the Museum
3. The Vatican Collection

Access and Admission

The MET is open seven days a week. Sunday–Thursday: 10 am–5:30 pm and Friday and Saturday: 10 am–9 pm. The best way to get to the MET, unless you’re within walking distance, is to take the subway. The subway in New York is super easy to navigate, and since there’s pretty much traffic 24/7, it’s much better than a taxi. The closest stations to the MET are 86 St, 77 St or 81 Street-Museum of Natural History Station.

General admission to the Museum is $25 for adults; $17 for seniors, and $12 for students. Your admission includes all the exhibitions and is valid for three consecutive days at The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters. So, if you’re planning on attending both the MET 5th Avenue and the Cloisters, just keep your sticker and receipt, and you won’t have to pay again as long as you go within three days. You can buy your tickets online if you don’t want to wait in line when you get to the Museum, which is recommended during these popular exhibits.

What is Heavenly Bodies?

Heavenly Bodies explores “fashion’s ongoing engagement with the devotional practices and traditions of Catholicism.” It explores the influence that religion has had on the cultural imagination and how it directly impacted the visions of fashion designers. I’ve broken this guide up into three different parts; if you’re interested in reading more about the other parts of the exhibition, click the following links: MET 5th Avenue | MET Cloisters.

Entry to the Museum

When you enter the Museum, you might be tempted to start at the pieces at the Byzantine wing’s entrance. While this might be the most convenient option, I highly recommend viewing The Vestment from the Vatican first. They are located in the Anna Wintour Costume Center. To reach the Anna Wintour Costume Centre, turn right at the entrance, head into the Egyptian wing and head to Gallery 132. Gallery 132 contains a huge sarcophagus from the early third century B.C. From here, head downstairs to the basement of the MET.
Many of these garments on display have never left Vatican City. While the exhibit could be thought to be very challenging for the church, the Vatican was actually very amenable to Bolton’s ideas. Bolton only requested six pieces, but they ended up loaning the MET over 40! The Vatican only requested that their treasures be exhibited in their dedicated space, separate from the fashions. So many of the pieces in the rest of the exhibit could easily be mistaken for real papal robes or religious attire, so I can appreciate even simply as a viewer, making a clear distinction between the two.  Many of the accessories and vestments are hundreds of years old, predating the fashions by centuries. They provide a great reference for modern fashion in the rest of the exhibition.

The Vatican Collection

The first piece you see in the Vatican Collection while walking down the stairs is a stunning Chasuble by  Andre Matisse. Bright white satin and silk with green and gold velvet applique decorate the piece. A Chasuble is a garment worn by a Catholic priest during the celebration of Mass. Matisse designed a series of vestments in various colours, each for a different liturgical season of the year. They were originally made for Pope Pius XII. This is the first draft from Matisse since it was too heavy, and his subsequent versions were much lighter. He gave this original piece to the MoMA for their permanent collection. 
Once you enter the main area, you’ll notice the space is minimal. A few garments are placed in each case and widely spaced out throughout the gallery. Simple grey walls and a minimalist design allow you to focus completely on the details of each object.

The first grouping contains items worn by Pope John Paul II.  It contains his white and gold vestment, which is the traditional papal outfit donned by popes for everyday wear. Featured in the case is also a pair of red slippers designed by Italian cobbler Adriano Stefanelli. The red of the slipper was meant to represent the blood of Christ and other Catholic martyrs, but it wasn’t the symbolism of the colour which caught people’s attention, but their remarkable design. These red slippers instigated a worldwide discussion of the Pope’s fashion. They were originally thought to be made by Prada. Subsequently, the Pope was on the best-dressed list in Vogue’s yearly report. This was perhaps the impetus of the entirety of the exhibition and the discussion around Catholicism and fashion. 

A sparkling gold embroidered cope lies out on a table under glass. The embroidery is so detailed that the design elements pop up from the fabric like a 3D painting. Around the neckline of the cope are four important symbols of the Catholic faith representing the four evangelists:  John as an eagle holding a bible, Matthew with the wings of an angel, Mark the winged lion and Luke the winged bull,
An interesting thing to note is that although the outfits appear very similar to each other, almost like a uniform, in actuality, every PopePope Popetheir own individual style. Some prefer more ornate items like the papal tiaras, while others, like Pope Francis, are interested in a more simple form of dress. It’s a kind of humanistic quality we sometimes forget these holy men have.

Inside a long glass case in the centre of the room are three incredibly detailed Chasubles. The most impressive of the three is the one made for Pope Pius IX. It took 15 women more than 16 years to hand embroider. Every tiny inch of the embroidery tells a story. It centres around the life of Saint Francis of Assisi. You could spend hours looking at this thing and uncover a different hidden secret every minute. My favourite part is the neckline, where you can see the Virgin Mary being welcomed into heaven by saints and angels.

My favourite piece from the collection is the cope of Pius IX from the 1800s. The cope, worn like a cape around the pope’Pope’slders, features a breathtaking depiction of various scenes from the bible. Each character is so lovingly detailed, and the shadows and highlights are painted with needle and thread. The expressions on their faces were so powerful. You can understand why wearing this compelling piece of clothing would make the wearer feel supernatural.

A series of Dalmatics are also on show. A dalmatic is a long-sleeve tunic that clergymen wear during Mass. A series of these dalmatics were created, each for various important moments in the Catholic calendar. These were all created by the Istituto Femminile di Don Nicola Mazza, founded in Verona. The institute taught young girls the skills to create these incredible embroideries, they had three different departments: sericulture, spinning and dyeing, embroidery and one which created artificial flowers. These girls faithfully recreated scenes from the bible on the dalmatics and created stunning botanical designs around the characters.

In a small, black-clad room towards the back are glass cases filled with papal treasures.  Tiaras, rings, crosses, and Crosiers fill the room, and the light reflects on the incredible gemstones that adorn all the pieces. Most of these precious items were given to the Popes as gifts. The most impressive is the three-tiered 19th-century Tiara, which was given to Popeueen Isabelle II of Spain. It contains over 19,000 stones,  18,000 of which are all high-priced diamonds.

In various cases are golden Mitres. A mitre is the traditional type of headpiece worn by certain clergymen in ceremonial settings. The most fascinating one is from 1929, designed for Pius XI, a gift from the prime minister Benito Mussolini. In the centre of the mitre is a silver crucifix, and the symbols of the evangelists Mark and Luke are on the bottom. It almost looks as if it’s a piece of armour, the way the embroidery elements surround the holy symbols.

After viewing the papal vestments, head back upstairs to the Byzantine Galleries, located to the left and right of the grand staircase, after walking into the Great Hall. Every time you look at these modern fashions, think about some of the items you saw in the Vatican collection. How do these papal garments both mirror and inspire? Effect and influence? Even if you’re not religious, looking at these papal vestments is still an awe-inspiring experience.

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