It is the first Monday of May which means tonight is one of the biggest fashion events of the year: the Met Gala. But tonight’s formal event is not the only notable happening at the Metropolitan Museum, the Ball also marks the grand opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit. As part of the official opening of “Manus x Machina” Apple’s Chief of Design, Jony Ive, spoke about the relationship between technology and craftsmanship. The exhibit focuses on the dichotomy between handmade haute couture fashion and machine made fashion, exploring some of the newest technology in fashion including thermo-shaping, laser cutting, and 3D printing. During Jon Ive’s speech, he encouraged an open mind as technology becomes a larger and larger part of fashion, pointing out that all crafts depend on tools or methods that were at one point new:
It’s easy to think a craft can’t change, but important to remember all craft process was at some point new. At some point, challenged convention. Not to be contrarian, but enabled by some breakthrough. Some newly discovered principle or sometimes some wonderful accident.
We can’t wait to see how attendees of tonight’s Gala interpret the technology inspired theme. Will celebrities and fashion icons arrive wearing intricate handmade gowns, stunning clothing produced by machines more commonly used for ready-to-wear clothing, or perhaps dresses that incorporate technology in fun new ways. Last year, Lupita Nyong’o turned a lot of heads when she wore Zac Posen’s amazing LED dress – we would love to see some of tonight’s guests be equally as daring!
A larger excerpt of Jony Ive’s speech can be found below:
We are thrilled at Apple to help bring to life Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology. When Anna and Andrew first talked to me about the exhibition, I was particularly intrigued that it would stimulate a conversation exploring the relationship between what is made by man and what is made by machine. That it would challenge the preconception held by some that the former is somehow inherently more valuable. Not only in the context of today, but also the future.
The Chanel dress that Tom mentioned, which was Andrew’s inspiration for the exhibition is a wonderful example of artisan like craft executed with the deepest consideration yet enabled with the very latest technology. The most breakthroughs in craft were once, of course, perceived as truly innovative. Often shockingly so. Once even the simple metal needle challenged the conventional thinking of the time. Now I’m humbled by the innovations of the past in the same way that I am humbled by the work that we can see here today.
It’s easy to think a craft can’t change, but important to remember all craft process was at some point new. At some point, challenged convention. Not to be contrarian, but enabled by some breakthrough. Some newly discovered principle or sometimes some wonderful accident.
