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FIT Celebrates '60s Mod in its New "Youthquake!" Exhibit

By Bonnie Datt

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  • Left: Trimfit tights “inspired by Twiggy” in original packaging, nylon, paper, 1967-68, USA, gift of Dorothy T. Globus. Right: Dress with photograph of Bob Dylan by Harry Gordon, paper, black ink, 1968, England, gift of Estelle Ellis.
  • Wing Dings boots printed with images of The Beatles, cotton canvas, rubber, 1964, USA, museum purchase.
  • Paraphernalia dress, copper lamé knit, circa 1967, USA, gift of Mrs. Ulrich Franzen.
  • John Stephen man’s shirt, printed cotton, circa 1965, England, gift of Valerie Steele.

All images ©The Museum at FIT

Like miniskirts? Like Go-Go boots? Then you'll love The Museum at FIT's new show Youthquake! The 1960s Fashion Revolution. It explores the impact of youth culture on fashion during a decade of sweeping political, social, and cultural change. The exhibit includes both mod and hippie fashions, which means you'll see really fun styles: Beatle boots, mini dresses and hippie ensembles, along with some great '60s film footage of the shopping on Carnaby Street.

Like the museum's wonderful Vivienne Westwood exhibit last year, Youthquake was completely organized by graduate students from the Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice MA program at FIT. They're the conservators, curators, educators, exhibition designers, publicists, etc.—which we think is really cool. And like the Westwood exhibit, Youthquake is small, but fun and informative. One of our favorite pieces is an Op Art paper dress by the Scott Paper Company. It was originally created as marketing gimmick to promote tablecloths, but an ad in Seventeen magazine in 1966 sold 500,000 copies and started a fad for paper dresses.

Our only criticism is that although the exhibit includes designs by Paco Rabanne, André Courrèges and Yves Saint Laurent, there are no pieces by Mary Quant, the creator of the mini skirt—although she is mentioned repeatedly throughout it. Then again, to get your Quant fix, all you have to do is walk into a neighboring gallery to see the Museum's Fashion A-Z exhibit (obviously Mary represents "Q"), which gives you a chance to see even more amazing designs. Youthquake! The 1960s Fashion Revolution runs through April 7th and, like all the museum's exhibits, is free to enter.
· The Museum at FIT [Official Site]