my moral standing is lying down

So yes. I'm a little head-over-heels for this bit of meta re: costumes and fashion in Inception.

It's rare that contemporary costume design in a film makes you sit up and take notice. Sometimes while watching a movie I'll think to myself "Hey, that's a cute dress!" or "How can she run in those heels?" or "How the hell can that character afford this wardrobe?!" but it is few and far between where I look at contemporary design and feel admiration and appreciation for the costumes as a whole.

Inception is one of those films. From start to finish I am in awe of designer Jeffrey Kurland's work. He had the difficult task of creating costumes for a largely corporate world set five minutes in the future and that could have resulted in everyone wearing futuristic suits of the same cut. Instead, the looks in this film are modern takes on classic silhouettes which magically equals fashion forward somehow. There are a few great stand out pieces, some subtle referencing of fashion archetypes that serve as characterisation shorthand, and there are a lot of unglamorous everyday looks that give authenticity to the characters' lives.

Read more and admire the pretty: Picspam: Costumes in Inception by bennet_7.

Apparently, FIT has a museum! I didn't know this! (And now, I think back on what I've missed all this time!)

Current exhibitions are Arbiters of Style: Women at the Forefront of Fashion (May 21 to November 8, 2008) and Gothic: Dark Glamour (September 5, 2008 through February 21, 2009).

Hours are: 12-8pm (T-F), 10am-5pm (Sat). Closed Sundays, Mondays, and legal holidays.

Also, admission to the exhibitions is free!

I think I'd like to possibly make a visit this Saturday before the anime fundraiser event. Let me know if you'd like to join me.


( and now, a visit from the meme sheep )