From vintage to vogue, ‘Fashion Reimagined: Themes and Variations 1760-NOW’ celebrates four centuries of fashion

Fashion Reimagined celebrates 50 years since the founding of the museum’s fashion collection by the Mint Museum Auxiliary in 1972. The collection has grown to include more than 10,000 objects.

The mood of Fashion Reimagined ranges from quiet and contemplative to upbeat and groovy through three pervasive themes: minimalism, pattern and decoration, and the body reimagined. Exhibition highlights include two rare 18th-century English men’s suits and 19th-century wedding gowns, as well as a rare 1928 wedding ensemble by Italian fashion artist Maria Monaci Gallenga.

Glamorous gowns by Madame Gres and Oscar de la Renta, and men and women’s fashions by 20th-century innovators Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, Giorgio Armani, and Yohji Yamamoto round out the representation of fashion evolution throughout the centuries.

Several iconic examples of 1960s and ’70s mod and hippie chic style by designers like Zandra Rhodes also are included. Recent acquisitions include contemporary trenchant designs by Walé Oyéjidé for Ikiré Jones, Anamika Khanna, and Iris van Herpen.

“The presentation of the fashions in the galleries is quite dramatic and adds an emotional layer to the experience,” says Annie Carlano, senior curator of craft, design, and fashion at The Mint Museum. “More than any other type of functional design, fashion is so much more than aesthetics and craft. Without too many prompts from gallery texts, a dress or suit can cause a visceral reaction that leads you to think about who made the garment, who wore it, how did it made the person feel, and what message it sends.”

With installation design by DLR architects, interactive components include the “shape shifters” room that offers the public a look beneath the fashions, as well as an opportunity to reimagine themselves in fashions from the 18th and 19th centuries. In addition, the resource room features two videos demonstrating step-by-step directions of the dressing process for men and women in the 1770s.

The exhibition is generously presented by Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment, and the Mint Museum Auxiliary with additional support from Bank of OZK.

“Fashion, like art, is a form of cultural expression and the ultimate form of self-expression. Wells Fargo is pleased to underwrite this exhibition at the intersection of art, design, craft and history,” says Jay Everette, senior vice president, sustainability and social impact at Wells Fargo.

As an extension of the exhibition, The Mint Museum has partnered with local fashion boutiques throughout the city to launch TailoredCLT: a celebration of the chic and elegant style of Charlotte’s fashion boutiques. Participating retailers will create and display a look influenced by the exhibition themes from mid-November through December 31.

Fashion Reimagined is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue with contributions by Annie Carlano, senior curator of craft, design, and fashion at The Mint Museum and curator of the exhibition; Lauren D. Whitley, independent scholar and curator; Ellen C. Walker Show, director of library and archives at The Mint Museum; and fashion designer Anna Sui. It is published by D Giles Limited.

Fashion Reimagined: Themes and Variations 1760-NOW is on view December 10, 2022-July 2, 2023 at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 S. Tryon Street, Charlotte.

Special thanks to our media partners Awedience Media, Peachy The Magazine, QC Exclusive, and PBS Charlotte.