Punk: Chaos to Couture at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Friday I popped by the Metropolitan Museum of Art to finally see the newest exhibit from the Costume Institute, Punk: Chaos to Couture. I was pretty frazzled with custom illustration orders and primping and packing for a wedding weekend, but I passed by and thought I should check it out before the summer crowds start piling in. Well, this exhibit was just the break I needed and I highly suggest stopping by if you're in New York.

Punk: Chaos to Couture spotlights punk's impact on high fashion from the early 70's to present day. I couldn't resist being a bit punk and snapping a few photos to share and instagram (shown above,) even though "photography is prohibited" in this exhibit.

(Top Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art) 

The  designer fashion, the fabulous punk-fro's, and the entire exhibit space was a wild new look for the formal and sometimes stuffy Met. The walls were textured and graffitied, the lighting was dark with pops of bright color, and the music obviously, was loud punk. The exhibit was broken up into different themes by room, and being the crafty girl I am, I have to say my favorite room was the DIY Hardware room, (shown above, top photo) with studded, pinned, chained and torn designer ensembles from Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, and Gianni Versace.

(Fashion Illustration: Brooke Hagel, Window Display: Bergdorf Goodman) 

As I mentioned I was away this weekend for a wedding and didn't have a chance to sketch anything straight from the exhibit, but I did sketch a few punk inspired illustrations a few weeks ago after live sketching at a Vogue party on the upper east side. After the event I took a little stroll along 5th Avenue and was floored by the Bergdorf Goodman windows inspired by the punk exhibit. I came right home and sketched a bunch of my favorite looks from the punk themed windows. The sketch shown above is a beaded Chanel top and skirt. Instead of drawing a face, I paired it with the outrageous punk pom-pom-fros that are shown throughout the Punk exhibit (shown below) and left the skin white, as shown on the mannequins.

(Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, dresses by Zandra Rhodes 1977) 

Punk: Chaos to Couture will be on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art now through August 14th, 2013 and I high recommend checking it out, as well as the fantastic Bergdorf Goodman windows it inspired.

(Window: Bergdorf Goodman, Fashion Illustration: Brooke Hagel) 

To see more images from the Punk: Chaos to Couture exhibit, click on over to the Met's exhibit page here and to see more of the wild Bergdorf Goodman windows inspired by the Punk exhibit check out 5th/58th, Bergdorf's blog. And to see my favorite looks from the Met Ball, the opening night gala for the Punk: Chaos to Couture exhibit click here.

I'm thinking my Etsy shop could use a little punk fashion infusion, I may list these illustrations as prints in the shop later this week.