How do sleeves make a statement?
an Exhibit review of the museum at the fashion institute of technology’s homage to sleeves
The Museum at the Fashion of Institute of Technology is internationally renowned for its impact on advancing the cultural significance of fashion and dress, serving as a bridge between academia and the broader community. Despite its unconventional exhibition space - an L-shaped hallway which might not necessarily seem like the ideal place for a fashion exhibit - FIT cleverly activates this space for educational purposes, exemplified by the 2024 exhibit Statement Sleeves, curated by fashion historian Colleen Hill. The exhibit explores the historical and cultural significance of the “statement” sleeve, emphasizing their role as modes of self-expression and status symbols. The “statement sleeve”, in the case of this exhibit, is described as a sleeve style which is exaggerated in some way, whether through embellishment, clever construction, or some other eye-catching characteristic. While the star of FIT’s exhibits usually occupies the lower level gallery, upstairs, the visitor is greeted with a large, curved wall with titular text and covered in illustrations showcasing a variety of sleeve styles, leading into a space which opens with the striking presence of a rack of garments hanging in rainbow order (fig. 1), accompanied by text which provides a glimpse into the curatorial process - in this case, consisting of walking through hanging storage, looking for sleeves which caught curatorial attention.
The thematic organization of this exhibit guides visitors through various sleeve styles, beginning across from the opening display. Fundamental Forms displays garments that represent eight fundamental sleeve types including the leg-of-mutton, the raglan, and the bishop sleeve, among others, to provide a foundation for the viewer from which they can build a deeper understanding of the more fantastical sleeves on display.
Figure 1
Garments hanging as if in storage, offering a glimpse into the curatorial practice. Photo courtesy of author.
From there, the rest of the exhibit extended into the L-shaped hallway, the low lighting and absence of noisy distractions giving the space a sense of traditional museum hush which did not detract from the experience. Rather, the accompanying padded benches and grayscale walls created a rather comfortable space in which to look, study, and contemplate the garments on display. Garments were displayed on mannequins and placed within arm’s distance, bringing the garment closer to the viewer not just metaphorically in its breakdown of the subject matter, but also physically, creating a sense of familiarity. Combined, the overall atmosphere of the space was one which encouraged the study of garments, promoting the “creative thinking and lifelong learning among diverse audiences” which this museum strives for.
Following the hallway, the rest of the themes unfold, beginning with Opening Statements, which traces “statement” sleeves back more than 5,000 years, and places these historical roots in conversation with contemporary decades more familiar to the viewer, illustrating the enduring spirit of the impulse to play with our sleeves. On the left, one finds a green silk satin dress, circa 1830, with voluminous leg-of-mutton sleeves which were inspired by the “voluminous sleeves worn by wealthy women in Renaissance paintings” (fig. 2). Just next to this dress is an example of the undergarments worn under such a dress to provide the structure needed to achieve the dramatic silhouette fashionable at the time (fig. 2). This focus on not just aesthetic, but also construction, exemplifies the value of such an exhibit to not just the historically inclined, but also to those with an affinity for design and making practices, allowing one to study methods of construction. Jumping through one hundred years with the wide, padded shoulders of the 1930s and into the 21st century, this theme closes with an example of voluminous, leg-of-mutton inspired sleeves on a Spring 2022 navy blue and acetate faille dress by LaQuan Smith (fig. 3). The accompanying text shares a 2022 Vogue announcement, stating that “The puff-sleeve trend is here to stay”. This thematic introduction and conclusion unites multiple centuries of similar sleeve design, thus effectively reinforcing the persistence of sleeves as an integral part of fashion design and dress practices.
Next, Puffs and Folds examines the movement of different sleeve shapes not only as they are relegated to the upper arms and shoulders, but how they move up and down the arm. It asks how designers manipulate fabric through draping and folding to achieve new ranges from a recollection of the late 15th century’s detachable sleeves by Rudi Gernreich to folds which reference the paper folding of origami by John Galliano for Dior (fig. 4). Tucks & Ruffles contrasts the architectural appearance of tucks against the softness and movement of ruffles, of which a Givenchy design modeled after styles worn by flamenco dancers steals the show. As one turns the corner, Embellishment & Adornment draws attention to the use of feathers, rhinestones, and lace, but also clever shapes and seaming which assists in statement making. For example, curator Colleen Hill draws attention to a blue cotton denim dress from a 2006 collection by Susan Cianciolo which sports hand sewn patchwork sleeves, also made from denim. This was selected to, “[...] emphasize that sleeves do not need to be oversized or made from elaborate materials to be statement-making” (fig. 5). At the end of the hallways, Performance & Purpose illustrates functionality, comparing a coat which limits arm movement against sleeves designed to emphasize the bend of the elbow in wheelchair users. Turning back towards the entrance, Sheer & Split contrasts the idea of functionality, selecting a group of garments which use sheer fabrics and split seams to favor fashion over the function of a sleeve - to cover the arm. Lastly, Asymmetrical & Mismatched challenges notions of symmetry as a form of beauty, and draws attention to the lack of sleeves as a statement. The exhibit closes as it opens - on a rack of colorful dresses, hanging as they would in storage, emphasizing how the sleeve is often the first, and last thing, you see when you hang up your clothes.
Figure 5
“[…] sleeves do not need to be oversized or made from elaborate materials to be statement-making. ”
In sum, this exhibit successfully executes what it sets out to do: explore the variety of ways that sleeves have been central to the mood of fashion over centuries. Its organization presents an easily comprehensible foundation from which public visitors and design students alike can build their understanding of form, while the language is approachable for a wide audience of backgrounds and ages. While not the most striking exhibit ever mounted, it nonetheless provides a solid education of a predominantly western European culture of sleeves. This is, perhaps, where this exhibit could improve. Although there are limitations of scope given the size of space, it is pertinent to ask any fashion exhibit to engage with critical topics which extend beyond a bias towards designer and luxury garments originating in western states. While this exhibit touches upon some critical themes such as accessibility, in the following section, I aim to illustrate other important areas of exploration through the selection of objects that, if added to this exhibit, could expand and encourage critical thought and questioning.
Object Proposal
First and foremost, in the question of strengthening the exhibit, I propose that where the text offers a historical root of the “statement” sleeve being found in an Egyptian dress which was “gathered over the shoulder and upper arms”, an image of some such dress should be included to reinforce this description, and thus the overall message of the enduring statement sleeve (fig. 6). The particular dress mentioned in the text is housed in the Petrie Museum of Archaeology in London, and thus I suspect that image licensing posed a challenge, but nonetheless, some facsimile of such a garment would serve well in illustrating the history of the sleeve, and especially one which extends beyond the geographic confines of western states. Furthermore, in diversifying this exhibit, sleeves designed for larger sizes would be a welcome addition, particularly because “plus size” design is not a simple question of pattern grading, but rather requires entirely different design strategies.
This would serve in enriching the education of the design students coming to such exhibitions for inspiration and garment study, as well as offer a sense of welcome and representation for those with body types reflected in larger garments (fig. 7). Lastly, where construction is concerned, images of different sleeve patterns may be a useful addition as a tool to communicate that while sleeves come from a common origin, their shape and construction can look very different.
Importantly, an enduring frustration I have with fashion exhibitions is that they tend towards the lens of fashion as art, privileging luxury designs over garments that reflect an everyday lived experience. Thus, I argue that including objects which are designed for workwear, as well as garments that show signs of wear, would strengthen this exhibit's mission in showing that sleeves “reflect our gestures and movements”, and that “there is a style for everyone”. For example, examining the streamlined shape and heavy-duty fabric of the sleeve of a Carhartt jacket, while seemingly underwhelming, would offer another opportunity for individuals of the public from working-class backgrounds to connect with the subject (fig. 9). Additionally, sleeves whose cuffs and elbows show signs of wear and/or have been mended would serve as a direct and arguably more impactful expression of our gestures and movements, highlighting where the body, the sleeve and the world interact (fig. 10).
While my general reception and review of this exhibit is positive, the addition of the above objects would result in an exhibit which asks the viewer to take one, maybe two steps outside of the comfort zone of the fashion exhibit and ask new questions about what it means to wear clothes.