The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute has opened a new exhibition titled 'Costume Art,' which explores the relationship between fashion and the human body. The exhibition, which opened on May 4, 2026, features over 200 garments and accessories from the museum's collection, spanning centuries and cultures.
According to the museum's press release, the exhibition is organized thematically, with sections dedicated to the body's form, movement, and adornment. Key pieces include a 19th-century corset, a 1960s Yves Saint Laurent Mondrian dress, and contemporary designs by Rei Kawakubo and Iris van Herpen. The exhibition aims to show how clothing shapes and is shaped by the human body.
The show is curated by Andrew Bolton, the Wendy Yu Curator in Charge of the Costume Institute. In a statement, Bolton said, 'This exhibition invites visitors to consider the body as both a canvas and a collaborator in the art of dress.' The exhibition will run through September 6, 2026.
