Polimoda Ponder on Fashion's Interpretation of the Body In New Pitti Exhibition

Joining in on the fun this Pitti A/W 24 season, revered Italian fashion school, the Polimoda Fashion Institute, put on a show with AN/ARCHIVE EVENT ONE, which unfolded as a multidisciplinary experience using 'The Body' as a motif to explore the relationship between fashion and its relation to humans that goes beyond dress. AN/ARCHIVE EVENT ONE acted as a preview of the future research centre dedicated to fashion studies while opened to the Pitti crowd between 9 January and 21 January at the Manifattura Tabacchi in Florence.

Considered a celebration and reflection on the body through the lens of style, AN/ARCHIVE EVENT ONE involved garments from the A.N.G.E.L.O. Vintage Archive (including pieces by Maison Margiela, Romeo Gigli, Issey Miyake and Comme des Garçons) and works by William Forsythe, Minna Palmqvist and Sissel Tolaas to hammer home its exploration and contemplative journey through different interpretations of the body in fashion. Focus points fell both on the way garments fall and move, to the social and cultural meanings inherent in fashion itself.

Curated by Polimoda director Massimiliano Giornetti and the school's strategy and vision advisor Linda Loppa, the exhibition transcended typical fashion as visitors encountered a fusion of artistic disciplines, rewriting the rules of how fashion intersects with art, technology and culture. Each piece on display told a unique story, reflecting the different perspectives and innovative approaches of contemporary designers that covered avant-garde installations to impressive fashion design creations.

Speaking of the event, Giornetti described EVENT ONE as 'A contemplative exploration of fashion as an intimate expression of the body.' Going on to state that 'The awareness of sociological change is read through the evolution of the perception of the person. What we see in the mirror is not a reflection of true corporeity, but rather an emotional state and connection to a constantly changing figure. EVENT ONE is therefore meant to be an authentic emotional journey that invites us to meditate on the discordant nuances of our body identity.'

The exhibition space also hosted a programme of meetings with authors, experts and fashion researchers who all partook in a series of essential conversations and talks designed to stimulate thought and inspire reflection on various aspects of fashion in relation to the body. Talks took place both online, as with Paola Antonelli's MoMa, The Museum of Modern Art, New York. A conversation on Research, Salons, Archives and Objects as well as in person such as Sissel Tolaas' INVISIBLEVISIBLE_22.

The exhibition opened 9 January and will stay open until 21 January. Available to view from 14:00 to 20:00 with free admission at Polimoda - Building B4 (Manifattura Tabacchi - Via delle Cascine 35, Florence).