The Italian fashion institute Polimoda presents a preview of the future research center for fashion studies in Florence through ‘An/Archive Event One’. From January 9th to 21st, a multidisciplinary event will take place at the institution’s branch, Manifattura Tabacchi, that will focus on the body as a central theme and explore its relationship to fashion.
The event, which began on Tuesday at the same time as the Florentine men’s fashion fair Pitti Uomo, shows works by couturiers, artists and researchers in various fields, from ‘smell art’ to choreography, in dialogue with an exhibition of iconic exhibits by contemporary designers in collaboration with the archive of the Italian fashion store Angelo Vintage.
Contemplative examination of the body as an expression of fashion
The exhibition features a selection curated by Massimiliano Giornetti, director of Polimoda, and Linda Loppa, consultant for strategy and vision at the school, that transcends traditional boundaries of a fashion exhibition.
Visitors experience a fusion of artistic disciplines where fashion intersects with art, technology and culture. Each piece on display tells a personal story and reflects diverse perspectives and innovative approaches from contemporary designers. From avant-garde installations to fashion design creations, the aim is to show how fashion is constantly evolving and has an influence on social developments and individual expression.
The human body is central to fashion. The research center would like to examine this relationship in the future and explore how fashion shapes the human physical form and how this in turn is shaped by it.
“The exhibition is an invitation to a contemplative journey through various interpretations of the body in fashion, from the way garments drape and move on the body to the social and cultural meanings inherent in fashion itself,” Polimoda management said in a statement.
‘An/Archive Event One’ is both a celebration and reflection on the body through the lens of style, identity and artistic expression, featuring garments from the Angelo Vintage Archive and works by American dancer William Forsythe, Finnish artist Minna Palmqvist and the Norwegian olfactory researcher Sissel Tolaas.
As a creative center for fashion research, ‘An/Archive’ is intended to be a space open to the city, welcoming researchers, curators, archivists, students, designers and companies interested in researching fashion , welcomes. This is not a museum, but a lively, dynamic and accessible place for research, but also for meetings and appointments.
The aim is to create a constantly evolving laboratory that starts from the curation of the most iconic garments of the most important designers to bring together the different creative realities of the fashion system through a universal lexicon and analytical approaches.
The space will host exhibitions, workshops, conferences and discussions on current topics in the fashion industry, reflecting on the future of the sector and encouraging the emergence of a new generation of researchers. The project is curated by Polimoda and supported by school funds, European funding, scholarships, sponsors and public and private partnerships with an interest in education and research.
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.it. Translated and edited by Heide Halama.