Starting in 2017, with the retrospective exhibition, Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between, The Met has celebrated The Costume Institute's legendary summer exhibitions by offering teens the opportunity to create their own designs during weeklong Fashion Teen Studio workshops. More than sixty youth designers and makers have gathered at The Met over the last three summers, eager to be inspired by the works in the exhibitions and develop their own creative designs.» Taught by author, designer, and teaching artist Lesley Ware, the teens learned sewing and garment construction skills, how to design their own creations, and how to develop a runway show. They also spent time in the exhibitions studying the designs and listened to exclusive talks by Costume Institute staff.
Unfortunately, this summer's Costume Institute exhibition, About Time: Fashion and Duration, was postponed, and the Fashion Teen Studio was canceled—like so many events around the world, due to safety concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic. However, we're all looking forward to exploring the exhibition when it opens in the fall of 2020! We're also planning half-day Teen Studio workshops related to the exhibition, so stay tuned for the program information on @metteens. In the meantime, check out more about the exhibition and start getting creative by developing your own designs at home.
For more inspiration, take a look at highlights from the last three summers of Fashion Teen Studios.
Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons:
Art of the In-Between (2017)
During the summer 2017 design showcase, teen designers exhibited works with large shoulder pieces, bows, and monotone colors inspired by the exhibition Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between. They displayed their works on dress forms—in the following summers we opted for a more dynamic runway-show format.
Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination (2018)
In summer 2018, teens incorporated lace and religious motifs in their designs inspired by the exhibition Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination in the first-ever Fashion Teen Studio runway show. They also invited friends and family to check out their work in person. Teen Studio participant DJ Jibble DJed the event.
