China: Through the Looking Glass

Western fashions have been indisputably influenced by the East and more specifically China for centuries. The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art seeks to highlight the way in which, since the sixteenth century, Western design has been inspired by China, so much so that the reality has often been somewhat distorted, resulting in fantastical narratives and mythologies. These are explored alongside the reality through an extensive collection of clothes, art and film. An almost re imagining of the Adventures of Alice in Wonderland. 'China: Through the Looking Glass' is its own micro universe, not only featuring over one hundred examples of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear but also examples of Chinese art and film (both from and about China). China: Through the Looking Glass, 7 May-16 Aug The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, United States T: +1 212-535-7710 www.metmuseum.org