Exhibition: Beyond Rebellion: Fashioning the Biker Jacket

Today, I had the pleasure of attending a curatorial tour of the newest exhibition at the Museum at FIT, Beyond Rebellion: Fashioning the Biker Jacket. The graduate student-produced exhibition traces the history of one of the timeliest outer garments of the past several generations. The original jacket, deemed the Perfecto look, was produced in 1928 by the Schott Bros company.

Schott Perfecto jacket c. 1980 / Photo credit: Eileen Costa; The Museum at FIT on Facebook

A functional garment, the jacket served to protect its primary wearer, motorcyclists, from weather and injuries incurred on the road. As the exhibition traces, eventually, the utilitarian piece was adapted within the realms of counter culture and fashion, and remains a staple of the all-American wardrobe to this day.

Jean Paul Gaultier c. 1987 / Photo credit: Eileen Costa; The Museum at FIT on Facebook

A modern exhibition design coupled with interactive fabric swatches, magazine images, film stills, and couture adaptations offers an insightful and thoroughly researched peek in to the fascinating history of what can now claim to be an iconic piece of American clothing.

Comme des Garcons Spring 2005 / Photo credit: Eileen Costa; The Museum at FIT on Facebook

Beyond Rebellion also offers a beautiful, comprehensive exhibition website to supplement the show... But I highly suggest catching this exhibition if you're in NY!

Beyond Rebellion: Fashioning the Biker Jacket runs from March 4 to April 5, 2014 at The Museum at FIT.