Youthquake: The 1960's Fashion Revolution
March 6, 2012 - April 7, 2012
Youthquake! The 1960s Fashion Revolution explored the dramatic impact of youth culture on fashion during the 1960s. More than thirty garments, accessories, videos, and other related media were featured, including fashions by Yves Saint Laurent, André Courrèges, and Giorgio di Sant'Angelo.
The epicenter of youth-generated style was London, where young shoppers flocked to boutiques opened by energetic, equally young designers. Regardless of which youth group was redefining fashion at the moment—the early 1960s Mods or the Hippies later in the decade—its styles were quickly appropriated by mass marketers and couturiers alike. By comparing designs ranging from cutting-edge boutique and mass-market labels to high fashion ready-to-wear and couture, the exhibition attested to the ascendance of youth as the driving force in fashion.
The epicenter of youth-generated style was London, where young shoppers flocked to boutiques opened by energetic, equally young designers. Regardless of which youth group was redefining fashion at the moment—the early 1960s Mods or the Hippies later in the decade—its styles were quickly appropriated by mass marketers and couturiers alike. By comparing designs ranging from cutting-edge boutique and mass-market labels to high fashion ready-to-wear and couture, the exhibition attested to the ascendance of youth as the driving force in fashion.