Acting as a lens through which to analyse fashion’s ability to reveal and adapt to social, political, economic, and cultural shifts, Memorabile, Ipermoda reflects a renewed sensibility in telling the story of fashion — not only as an art form in its own right but also as a tool for reflecting on the present. Curated by Maria Luisa Frisa in collaboration with the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, the exhibition opened its doors last November, and its closing has been extended to this upcoming Sunday, April 27th at MAXXI National Museum, offering a final opportunity to reconsider the challenges and transformations shaping contemporary fashion.
Here, Ipermoda is established as a term that depicts the role of fashion as a powerful expressive medium, inspired by Timothy Morton's concept of "hyperobjects”, suggesting that it is something that exists on a larger, more influential scale than just an individual item. The exhibition invites us to explore and reflect further away from the commercial conception of fashion and to actually rethink its impact on crucial aspects of modern society, such as sustainability, today’s accelerated pace in trends and consumerism, the world’s creative and economic structure, design practices, or the impact of increasingly sophisticated technologies in fashion.
To build this conversation, the exhibition utilises the architecture of the space along with highlighted creations of both independent designers and major fashion houses, introducing, like this, the polarity of craftsmanship and big luxury conglomerates to the discussion. In Memorabile, Ipermoda fashion is not only an autonomous form of art, but a mean to drive and comment on social change; it highlights fashion's ability to be both extraordinary and grounded in everyday life while also reflecting and shaping social and cultural values. If you’re in Rome — or can get there in time — this is your final chance to step into a space where fashion is re-examined while also admiring the virtuosity of Viktor & Rolf and Jonathan Anderson's conceptual explorations, Virgil Abloh's political visions for Louis Vuitton, the conversations built by Demna Gvasalia through Balenciaga, or Thom Browne and Craig Green's takes on masculinity — among many others.
The exhibition Memorabile, Ipermoda curated by Maria Luisa Frisa in collaboration with the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana is on view until the 27th of April at MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts, Via Guido Reni, 4 A, Rome, Italy.
