AngloMania to hit New York

The Costume Institute in New York has chosen English designers whose works will be part of an "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion" exhibit from May 3 to Sept. 4.

The exhibit will feature a mix of British designers, tailors, milliners, a jeweler and a cobbler. John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Christopher Bailey for Burberry, Hussein Chalayan, Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney are the featured fashion designers; Paul Smith, Ozwald Boateng, Anderson & Sheppard, Richard Anderson, Huntsman, Richard James, Henry Poole and Carlo Brandelli for Kilgour are the tailors; the millinery will be by Stephen Jones and Philip Treacy; jewellery will be by Shaun Leane, and Manolo Blahnik will provide the shoes.

"It was really hard to come to the selection of designers because there is such a great breadth of creativity in Britain," said Andrew Bolton, associate curator of the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, according to WWD. "We wanted the work of designers to reflect the themes of the English period rooms. We wanted clothes to have a direct dialogue. That made it easier for us to narrow down our focus and selection."

Bolton said the final list of designers was determined by who was the most transgressive or best represented the idea of tradition. "We felt that British creativity comes from this violent crash between tradition and transgression, and so the designers we have chosen reflect the idea of tradition and transgression in British culture and British fashion."

The exhibit's contemporary pieces were culled from the 30-year period between 1976 and today. The show also includes historical pieces from the 18th and 19th centuries, which will be juxtaposed with the contemporary designs. The exhibit will comprise about 60 pieces.