While she has had many varieties of the same look and has been considered evil, sympathetic, a paradox, conflicted and confused, the MET explains in very fancy language that she is a literal contradiction of the plight the female superheroes must eternal endure: a duel condition of dominance and submission.
The question remains though, who inspired who and what gets lost and created in those translations? For Michelle Pfeiffer’s character Catwoman/ Selina Kyle in the 1992 movie: Batman Returns. Designer Mary Vogt explains that the Tim Burton inspired rendition of this Catwoman suit included the visible white ragged stitches as more than just a plot line. They are intended to function as a suggestion that Selina has been sewn back together as an act of physical regeneration.
The symbolic white stitches are obviously rendered and translated to something very wearable indeed as this 2001 Dior Haute Couture by John Galliano. While the MET has interpreted many of the Catwoman inspired looks in fashion have “ muted their meanings and sanitized their subtexts,” this Dior dress carries enough or the original feel to still be obviously “cat inspired” yet still be fashion, and in this case, art as well. That alone, can be the embodiment of the Catwoman paradox.
The MET is running the show from now until September 1, 2008. If you can’t make it to NY in time, then be sure to visit the Fashion and Fantasy site on the MET and look at the superhero inspired designer collections. The explanations of the different “ bodies” on the bottom provides some interesting explanation and deep thinking, plus great fashion inspiration for us all.
If the Superhero show makes waves like some of the prior exhibits at the Institute, perhaps it will be like Batman and return? The 2005 exhibit from the MET Costume Institute: Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Barrel Apfel Collection has been added to and is sponsored by Loehmann’s discount designer storesat the Nassau Country Museum of Art beginning May 20th. It has also been made available as a wonderful book available at Amazon, Rare Bird of Fashion; the Irreverent Iris Apfel. Let’s hope we see a Superhero show in book form as well.
