“The approach of this exhibition very much came out of the Black Lives Matter movement,” said Andrew Bolton, the head Curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. “American fashion is undergoing a renaissance that is being driven by engagement with political and social issues. Young fashion designers in America, as in Britain, are at the forefront of conversations about inclusivity around race and gender and the body. When you talk to them about their ambitions, it’s not about jobs at the big European houses or being the next Ralph Lauren or Diane Von Furstenberg. They approach fashion in an ethical way which is rooted in values and community.”

The show was arranged not by decade, trend or artist but by emotion where each design wore a headpiece created by Stephen Jones calling out a specific feeling related to the garment. Bolton grouped designs together under 12 different emotions: Nostalgia, Belonging, Delight, Joy, Wonder, Affinity, Confidence, Strength, Desire, Assurance, Comfort and Consciousness. Each of the 100 garments included in the show were encased in white lit boxes and organized in rows forming a portrait of American design from the 1940s to the present. The way the clean, soft light was cast onto each garment highlighting the exquisite craftsmanship, luxury textiles, incredible details and colour defines the vocabulary of modern American fashion. The juxtaposition between the historical pieces and contemporary mixed with modern lit boxes and traditional environment of the museum was so beautifully done.

The story this exhibition tells is an elegant one, and I loved every minute of it.