ExtraORDINARY: Fashion and the Poetics of Everyday
The so-called fashion lovers’ Superbowl (the Met Gala) is under construction and is underway with planning. Originally the theme was a dedication to British designer John Galliano: ‘John Galliano: Horizons’, which would display his work during his time at Christian Dior, Maison Margiela and Givenchy. However, this theme was cancelled in August 2026 due to controversy over his conviction by the French court in 2011 of antisemitic comments and racist slurs towards Jewish and Asian people at a Paris bar.
Image Credits: Dupe Photos by Jayda Anderson
The 2027 theme for the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York City was decided by Andrew Bolton, British museum curator and Wendy Yu curator of the costume institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. ‘ExtraORDINARY: Fashion and the Poetics of Everyday’, shows how the clothes we wear everyday for years holds memories, and Andrew looks for the poetry within this.
The ordinary is never quite as simple as it appears. A pair of jeans, a white shirt, or a sweatshirt can hold traces of a life – the habits, memories, and attachments that make something our own. – Andrew Bolton
The show is set to open with Jun Takahashi’s RTW Fall 2024 collection, ‘Undercover’. A collection to describe how he was feeling about everyday life and the value of ritual: “He feels like he’s stuck on the world, but he wants to release himself”.
After this, there will be two exhibition rooms: ‘Familiar Forms’ and ‘Common Matter’.
‘Familiar Forms’ will display trenches, biker jackets and t-shirts made fabulously by different designers. “Grouped by types, the works will reveal how changes in scale, proportion, material, construction, and context can unsettle the conventions that make each form recognisable,” the Metropolitan Museum of Art explained.
2022/23 jeans by Mattieu Blazy for Bottega Veneta – Image Creds: Bottega Veneta
Examples of ‘Familiar Forms’ that will be displayed include a 1993 flannel shirt by Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis, a pair of 2022/23 jeans by Matthieu Blazy for Bottega Veneta and a 2022 ensemble by Johnathan Anderson for Loewe.
‘Common Matter’ will display pieces of clothing made out of unlikely materials such as plastic, paper, broken pieces of China as Martin Margiela did in the 90s. “Together, these works will examine how material properties, earlier functions, and histories of use remain active within new designs” said the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Maison Margiela Fall 2025 – Image Creds: VOGUE Runway
Examples of ‘Common Matter’ that will be displayed include a 2027 dress by Glenn Martens for Maison Margiela and 1992 dress by Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçons.
To close the exhibition, Andrew will focus on another Japanese designer, Kuniko Moringa for Anrealage, who designs everyday clothes but have been blown up into distortive proportions and different shapes. This display will showcase pieces from the 2009, 2010, 2021 and 2022 collections.
What do you think celebrities will wear to accommodate this theme for the Met Gala? Who do you think should co-chair this event? Let us know on our socials @Fashion_North!
