By Andrew Bolton
Photography by Nicholas Alan Cope
The catalogue that accompanies the 2016 Costume Institute exhibition "Manus x Machina" features exceptional fashions that reconcile traditional hand techniques with innovative machine technologies such as 3-D printing, laser cutting, circular knitting, computer modeling, bonding and laminating, and ultrasonic welding. Featuring 90 astonishing pieces, ranging from Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel's iconic tweed suit to Karl Lagerfeld's 3-D-printed version, and from Yves Saint Laurent's bird-of-paradise dress to Iris van Herpen's silicone adaptation - all beautifully photographed by Nicholas Alan Cope - this fascinating book is an exploration of both the artistry and the future of fashion.
Interviews with Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen; Hussein Chalayan, Maria Grazia Chiuri, and Pierpaolo Piccioli of Valentino; Nicolas Ghesquière of Louis Vuitton; Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough of Proenza Schouler; Iris van Herpen; Christopher Kane; Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel; Miuccia Prada; and Gareth Pugh enhance this expansive and absorbing book.
Andrew Bolton is Curator in Charge in The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Watch the book trailer
Inside the Catalogue–Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
Read about the making of the catalogue
"The DNA of an Exhibition Catalogue: Making Manus x Machina "
EDIT FROM OLIVIA KIM: "The perfect accompaniment to the exhibition. Take a piece of the show home with you, and look at those dresses again and swoon. I want to, again and again and again."