Exhibition on (good) taste in Hasselt’s Modemuseum
Fashion world delves into "The Vulgar”
Why is something considered vulgar? That is the central question posed at The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined, an exhibition at Modemuseum in Hasselt (Belgium). The exposition stimulates a difficult and philosophical debate about the real meaning of vulgarity in the fashion world.
The show, which was exposed in London and Vienna, tries to claim various provocative social questions throw the scandal of the good taste. For this reason, each of the eleven collections show interesting issues such as the extreme capitalism or historical customs breaking.
Louis Vuitton, Prada, Christian Dior, Madame Gres, Jeanne Lanvin, Vlvlenne Westwood or Christian Lacroix are some of the most prestigious designers that have participated in the fashion exhibition. The Vulgar show offers from the Renaissance and French revolution to contemporary outfits. An interesting mix for every taste that tries to exhibit different meanings and interpretations of the Vulgar. A subjective concept that has been present in each historical period in a different way.
What really means ‘Vulgar’?
The concept of ‘Vulgarism’ attracts a lot of fashion lenders that try to interpret his own meaning for this concept. It is well known that the world ‘vulgar’ was originally used to define something popular, but in this show it can be something unique and original as well. It is really interesting how the impression of the guide can be completly different of your own idea. That is the mystery of the Vulgar.
In this way, the famous fashion designer Judith Clark has based the show around eleven thematic groups. In total 11 definitions of the ‘vulgar’ and it is organized into sections like “Showing Off,” “Puritan” or “Extreme Bodies” that proposes different ways of looking at the vulgar.
11 definitions of Vulgar
The first stop is called ‘Translating The Vulgar’ that shows dresses of the Renaissance and Classical myths as well. On the one hand, you can see white elegant dresses similar to fashion ancient Greek and Rome, but it is perfectly combined next to a sack potatoes as a dress. This shocking mixture shows the eternal conflict between social exclusion and imposition. In this way through these examples, Phillips and Clark enter into a dialogue that accompanies the visitor through the exhibition walls.
‘Extreme Bodies’ is one of the most shocking parts in the show. More than exhibiting thin perfect bodies, shows social stupid behaviours. One interesting example is a dress that express this thinness conviction with a lot of pencils covering the skirt of a dress, that shows the metaphor about ‘pencil bodies’, in reference to extrem thinness, according to the tour guide [Picture 3].
The fashion tour continues in a room which black and white coulours are the prominent in the clothes. When it seemed that theses combination only could express seriousness and elegenace, you can see black and whiteclothes for a funny outfis plenty of orginal forms.
“Even in the most expensive and elegant ancient dresses, we can see the Vulgar phenomenon”- the tour guide explains while we are getting into the last parts of the show. Imposing dresses that denotes high cathegory even can show us a different intencionality. One of them offers an interesting reflexion about the corset importance for the woman in the old fashion. This allegory it shows with a thin waist in contrast to a giant skirt[Below picture].
Even the American influence ocuppies a place in the exposition in the secction called ‘Extreme capitalism’. One simple dress, a glomurous bag and a pair of high heel shoes with a huge ‘M’ that shows the popular brand ‘McDonalds’. “This is the height of capitalism”-the tour guide affirms.
“The New Baroque” is the last room in the fashion exhibition and try to represent the Baroque Winter Palace in Vienna. This compose a harmonic mixing between classical and futuristic style that even shows 3D-printed lace thanks to innovative materials.
When the visitor finish his visit, he can not avoid rethink the Vulgar concept. The meaning that you had had since many years it just expands to include new conceptions. This fashion tour shows how variable is fashion and taste through provocation. This show is recommended not only for lovers fashion, also for tolerant and open minded people that are capable of go beyond the classic conceptions
As the philologist Adam Phillips said: “Vulgarity exploits the difference between the common and what we have in common”.
“The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined”
Gasthuisstraat 11, 3500 Hasselt
Tuesday to Sunday, 10h to 17h.
