Banyan

Sexual behavior has been structured and interpreted very differently across time and space. European travelers often commented on the visibility of same-sex behavior in the Middle East and Asia, unaware that a new sex and gender system had recently developed in the West. Europeans also adopted “exotic” Eastern styles, such as the Indo-Persian banyon, or “house gown”—one of the few retentions of the word “gown” for a man’s garment.

Silk brocade and metallic thread, 1750-1760, Germany, Museum purchase, 2010.98.2

Molly house ensemble

Same-sex desire and behavior have existed throughout world history. But scholars believe that the first modern “gay” subcultures developed in the big cities of early 18th-century Europe. In London, “effeminate sodomites” of the popular classes, known as “mollies,” gathered in inns and public houses to socialize and cross-dress. This is the kind of ensemble that was worn in molly houses. After the 1726 police raid on Mother Clapp’s molly house, three mollies were executed for sodomy.

Satin and taffeta, 18th century, England and USA, Museum purchase, 2002.36.1 and 2007.12.1; petticoat, gift of the Estate of Mrs. Peter Lauck, 2001.6.5; replica stays

Vivienne Westwood, 18th-century style suit

Men’s fashions of the 18th century acquired a subversive charge for later generations. Oscar Wilde, for example, adopted 18th-century style knee breeches and silk hose during his Aesthetic period in the 1880s. Wilde also helped establish the idea that green was a color associated with “a subtle, artistic temperament” and “a laxity, if not a decadence, of morals.” Vivienne Westwood, a designer known for her iconoclasm, created this 18th-century style suit, which was worn by fashion editor, Hamish Bowles.

Silk satin and chintz, circa 1991, England, lent by Hamish Bowles

Oscar Wilde

Photograph by Napoleon Sarony, 1882
Albumen silver print

The aesthete and dandy Oscar Wilde was 27 years old when this photograph was taken. He was in New York to lecture on the English Renaissance and to promote the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "Patience," which satirized the aesthetic movement and Wilde himself.

Installation view

Creed suit, 1930s

Recalling the “lesbian elegance” of the 1930s, French artist Hélène Azénor said, “We wore tailored suits [and] our hairstyles, which had something indefinable for others were, among us, a sign of recognition.” Elite menswear styles were associated with lesbians for many decades, until, post-Stonewall, a more proletarian “butch” style increased in popularity.

Wool, velvet, and rayon cord, 1938, France, gift of Janet Chatfield-Taylor, 78.40.5

Woman’s suit

Because the tailored suit was obviously based on upper-class men’s attire, it had a subversive charge when worn by women. The addition of masculine accessories, such as starched shirts and neckties, reinforced this effect. Although tailored suits were also worn by heterosexual women, they were much favored by lesbians.

Wool twill and velvet, 1905, USA, gift of Mrs. K.G. Getman, 77.161.2

Left: Woman’s suit

Creating a look of irreproachable masculinity may have protected the gay dandy from the hostility of a homophobic society, while also subtly signaling to other homosexuals that such an impeccable sense of style was actually a sign of his sexual “deviance.” But not all dandies were men. The “Sapphic” subculture that emerged in large cities like Paris in the late nineteenth century was also closely associated with dandyish menswear styles.

Wool broadcloth and braid, circa 1890, USA, gift of Cora Ginsburg, 76.94.1

Right: Modern dandy ensemble worn by Cator Sparks

The Wildean dandy look still inspires gay men like Cator Sparks, whose ensemble mixes an antique frock coat (circa 1907) with a lace waistcoat by Alexander McQueen, a hat by New York milliner Rod Keenan, and a conspicuous brooch.

Frock coat, circa 1907, USA - Alexander McQueen, waistcoat, 2001, England - Etro, shirt, 1999, Italy - Vivienne Westwood, trousers, 2000, England - Rod Keenan, hat, 2008, USA - WuYork, Tie, 2011, USA - Subversive by Justin Guinta, brooch - Vivienne Westwood, boots, 1998, England

Lent by Cator Sparks

Man’s suit

Oscar Wilde abandoned Aesthetic menswear (knee breeches, long capes, flowing ties) in 1885, adopting instead the style of a fashionable dandy. By following the male sartorial code so precisely, the dandy effectively distinguished himself from everyone else. Wilde’s assertion of elite outsider status was reinforced by his adoption of the green carnation as a boutonniere.

Wool, 1898, possibly USA, gift of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Lyndhurst, 2009.79.1

Installation view

Dress with bifurcated skirt and jacket, silk crepe, circa 1925, USA, gift of the Dorothea Stephens Wilman Collection, 96.69.17

Chanel suit

Whether or not Chanel herself ever had affairs with women, it was certainly common in her milieu. (Émillienne d’Alencourt, mistress of Chanel’s boyfriend Étienne Balsan, had affairs with La Goulou and Renée Vivien, and many people believed that Chanel had a love affair with her closest female friend, Misia Sert.) However, Chanel’s androgynous style was probably primarily an expression of her identification with powerful men.

Wool, circa 1929, France, lent by the Museum of the City of New York, gift of Ann Andrews, 1972

Lucien Lelong ensemble

Boyish, sporty fashions were created by both male and female designers in the 1920s. Lucien Lelong seems to have been heterosexual (he married three women). But Christian Dior (who worked for Lelong from 1941 to 1946), recalled that Lelong “did not design himself, but worked through his designers.” It is, therefore, not known who actually designed this suit.

Silk and wool, circa 1927, France, gift of Mrs. Georges Gudefin, 80.13.19

Installation view

Yves Saint Laurent Le Smoking

“Oh, yes, my sexuality has been very important to my creativity,” said Yves Saint Laurent in 2002. It is perhaps not surprising that he was inspired by Marlene Dietrich when he designed his famous tuxedo for women, Le Smoking. The androgynous styles of the sexually liberated 1970s often alluded to 1930s glamour.

Wool, satin, crepe, and silk faille, circa 1982, France, gift of the Estate of Tina Chow, 91.255.4

Film costume by Pierre Balmain, Jean Cocteau, and Christian Bérard

Pierre Balmain (1914-1982) opened his own couture house in 1945. Balmain’s longtime companion was the Danish-born designer Erik Mortenson, and one of his clients was Gertrude Stein. This film costume was a collaboration with the gay film director Jean Cocteau and the gay artist/illustrator Christian Bérard.

Costume for Cocteau’s film, L’Aigle à Deux Têtes, cashmere, silk faille, and horse hair
1947, France, lent by Beverly Birks Collection

Dressing gown worn by Noel Coward

The writer and actor Noel Coward was known to be gay within the trans-Atlantic queer community, and his famous dressing gown may have sent coded messages to other gays. However, he also tried to maintain a rigorously masculine appearance, telling Cecil Beaton: “It is important not to let the public have a loophole to lampoon you. . . . I take ruthless stock of myself before going out. A polo jumper or an unfortunate tie exposes one to danger.”

Silk, circa 1930s, England, lent by the Museum of the City of New York, gift of Noel Coward

Valentina dress worn by Katherine Cornell

Certain professions, such as fashion and costume design, were relatively welcoming to LGBTQ people. So were the performing arts. The actress Katherine Cornell, for example, was a lesbian married to a gay man, who was a theater director. Several important books have been written about gay men and lesbians in the theater and in Hollywood.

Chiffon, 1947, USA, lent by the Museum of the City of New York, gift of Katherine Cornell, 1965

Installation view

Charles James La Sirène evening dress

The Anglo-American designer Charles James (1906-1978) married in 1954, but for most of his life he was quite open about his homosexuality. “James was gay from birth, I think,” recalls the illustrator Hilary Knight. “He was very sexy; he talked about sex all the time.” His brilliance as a designer is evident in this extraordinary evening dress.

Silk crepe, circa 1940, USA, gift of Doris Duke, 71.265.13

Balenciaga evening dress

Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972) was not widely known to be gay within his lifetime, but his biographer reports that Wladzio Jaworowski d’Attainville was his companion for twenty years—from 1928 until he died in 1948 at the age of 49. A Polish-French aristocrat, his “excellent social connections” were especially helpful after Balenciaga opened his couture house in Paris in 1937. When he died, Balenciaga was in such despair that he nearly entered a monastery.

Silk velvet, 1938, France, gift of Tina Chow, 91.255.2

Madeline Vionnet evening dress

Madeleine Vionnet may have been bisexual. Certainly, she was inspired by the anatomy of beautiful women to create her body-worshipping gowns. Her Cuban clients “were properly made” and “they moved well,” she recalled in old age, while the Argentine women had “undulating buttocks, like carnivores.” At this point in her interview with Bruce Chatwin, Vionnet leaned back and sighed, “They always said I loved women too much!”

Silk velvet, 1932-1933, France, lent by the Museum of the City of New York, gift of Mrs. Harrison Wiliams, 1945

Edward Molyneux evening dress

Although Edward Molyneux (1891-1974) was briefly married, within his circle he was known to be gay. Harold Nicholson, a predominantly homosexual man married to a lesbian, described Molyneux to her as his “funny new friend.” Moylneux had a great influence on the couture and trained many other designers, including Pierre Balmain and Hardy Amies, both of whom were also gay. In addition, he designed costumes for many of Noel Coward’s productions.

Silk crepe and cock feathers, circa 1933-1935, France, lent by the Museum of the City of New York, gift of Mrs. Robert L. Stevens and Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt, 1953

Christian Dior ball gown

Chanel sometimes burst out into homophobic diatribes against gay colleagues, such as Dior and Balenciaga, describing them as “queens” who “dream of being women so they make real women look like transvestites.” Her hostility was echoed by the psychiatrist Edmund Bergler, whose book, Fashion and the Unconscious (1953), claimed that homosexual designers’ “hatred” and “fear” of women had resulted in the “cruel” “dress absurdities of the last half century.”

Silk, tulle, and taffeta, 1957, France, lent by the Museum of the City of New York, Costume Collection, 1996

Installation view

Left: Suit worn by Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol acquired this suit in Hong Kong on his first trip abroad in 1956, at a time when he worked in commercial art and advertising and socialized with a predominantly gay, cosmopolitan circle.

Cashmere, 1956, Hong Kong, lent by the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh; Founding Collection, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Right: Striped T-shirt and jeans worn by Andy Warhol

Throughout his life, Andy Warhol was fascinated by glamour and fashion. His personal style evolved as he became increasingly famous as an artist during the 1960s, when he began to wear striped matelot T-shirts, jeans, and black leather jackets.

Cotton, denim, and leather, circa 1960s, USA, lent by the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh; Founding Collection, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Suit worn by Cecil Beaton

When they first met, Noel Coward harshly criticized the fashion photographer Cecil Beaton for looking and sounding too gay, accusing him of “flamboyant” gestures, an “undulating” walk, and “conspicuously exaggerated” clothes. Later, Coward admitted that he had been “beastly,” but he insisted, “Let’s hope you’ve learned a lesson.”

Sullivan, Williams & Co., Ltd., wool, circa 1952, England, lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, gift of Cecil Beaton, 1974

Three piece suit worn by couturier Bunny Roger

According to fashion editor Hamish Bowles, after the Second World War, Bunny Roger (1911-1997) “developed a personal sartorial style that reflected his nostalgia for Edwardian fashions, with high collars, bowler hats, and tailoring designed to showcase his wasp waist. Britain’s Teddy Boy rockers would eventually adopt elements of this exaggerated neo-Edwardian style for themselves—perhaps little realizing that its primary creator was a flamboyant queer couturier and socialite who spent his life, protected by ample means, flying in the face of conventional sexual morality.”

Check tartan wool, 1973, England, lent by Hamish Bowles - photo by Norman Parkinson

Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche suit

Yves Saint Laurent was one of the first designers to make pants suits for women. “I want to put myself at women’s disposal . . . to serve them,” he once said. “It was my wish to accompany them in that great moment of liberation.”

Striped wool knit, 1968, France, gift of Ethel Scull, 78.57.6

Ossie Clark dress (textile by Celia Birtwell)

Ossie Clark was “a very campy boy,” recalls the artist David Hockney. “Ossie understood women because he was very feminine himself,” says designer Marion Foale. Although he married textile designer Celia Birtwell, Ossie Clark was more-or-less openly bisexual, which was quite acceptable in bohemian circles in London during the 1960s and 70s.

Printed silk chiffon, 1969, England, gift of Barbara Hodes, 87.52.1

Installation view

Left: Yves Saint Laurent three-piece suit worn by Richard Martin

This velvet suit belonged to Richard Martin (1947-1999), a pioneering fashion historian and curator who published seminal articles, such as “The Gay Factor in Fashion” and “Out and In Fashion.”

Velveteen, circa 1975, France, gift of Richard Martin, 89.53.3

Right: Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche suit worn by Larry Kramer

Larry Kramer (born 1935), the playwright, AIDS activist, and LGBT activist, donated this YSL suit to the Costume Institute. Horrified by the AIDS epidemic and the failure of the US government to take action, Kramer co-founded the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) and the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP), a direct action protest organization widely credited with changing public health policy.

Wool, circa 1973-1979, France, lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Larry Kramer, 1995

Left: Castro Street style

The gay liberation movement of the 1970s launched a range of new vernacular street styles. Short shorts revealed the body, while bandanna handkerchiefs and keys functioned as a sexual code to signify erotic preferences. Leather garments alluded to S&M and “leathersex.”

Denim, cotton, leather, metal, 1970s, USA / Shorts and bandanna: Lent by Jonathan D. Katz / T-shirt: Lent by Scott Ewalt / Vest: The Museum at FIT, 2012.46.1

Right: Man’s “Clone look” ensemble

Post-Stonewall, gay men’s style turned away from elite elegance, towards proletarian masculinity. Modeling themselves on an idealized image of working-class masculinity, a new generation of gay men created the stylized “Clone look” to symbolize modern, macho homosexuality. Newly gym-toned bodies were clad in blue-collar garb, such as denim jeans, tank tops, work boots, and bomber jackets.

Denim, cotton, nylon, and leather, circa 1978, USA / Jacket: The Museum at FIT, 88.134.28, gift of Tony Santore, in memory of Jack Fenstermarcher

Claude Montana jumpsuit

French designer Claude Montana pioneered the introduction of leather from erotic street styles into high fashion—for both men and women.

Leather, spring 1979, France, lent by Archives Didier Ludot

Performance costume worn by Klaus Nomi

Klaus Nomi (1944-1983) was a German singer-songwriter who played a significant role in the New York City art club scene, where he was known for his extraordinary stage personae and costumes.

Vinyl, 1980-1981, USA, lent by Joey Arias, Executor of the Nomi Estate

Miguel Adrover ensemble

After the death of his neighbor Quentin Crisp, the designer Miguel Androvar salvaged striped cotton mattress ticking from Crisp’s discarded belongings. Transforming rubbish into a fashionable tailored coat, the designer poetically evoked the personal life of an extraordinary gay icon.

Cotton twill mattress ticking, cotton, silk, and wool, Fall/Winter 2000-2001, USA, lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, gift of Miguel Adrover, 2005, photograph courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Photograph

San Francisco Gay Day Parade, 1979

Courtesy of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society.

Installation view

Installation view

Left: Willi Smith WilliWear suit

Known for his fun, casual clothes, Willi Smith was one of the most successful young African-American designers of his generation. Openly gay, he died in 1987 at age 39 of pneumonia, apparently as a result of AIDS.

Silk and cotton, circa 1984, USA, gift of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), 2013.52.4

Right: Patrick Kelly dress

The young African-American designer Patrick Kelly took Paris by storm during the 1980s. He died of AIDS in 1990 at the age of 35.

Silk panne velvet, synthetic stretch, and metal, 1987/88, France, gift of Ms. Gloria Steinem, 2010.30.1

Bill Robinson ensemble

Bill Robinson was sometimes described as “the Donna Karan of menswear,” because his clothes were characterized by luxurious fabrics and casual silhouettes, resulting in a look of easy elegance. He died in 1993 at the age of 45.

Leather and wool jersey, Fall 1986, USA, gift of Bill Robinson, 93.23.1 / “No Apologies, No Regrets”, printed cotton, 1991, USA, lent by Jonathan D. Katz

Installation view -Remembering Fashion’s Fallen Heroes

Among those who died of AIDS were artists, designers, hairdressers, illustrators, makeup artists, models, photographers, retailers, stylists, and window dressers, including Way Bandy, Leigh Bowery, Kevin Boyce, Adrian Cartmell, Bob Currie, Stephen Di Petrie, Angel Estrada, Jeffrey Herman, Isaia, Bill King, Antonio Lopez, Juan Ramos, Herb Ritts, Clovis Ruffin, Ricky Wilson, and so many more.

Photograph, ACT UP in Chicago Pride circa 1990, photo by Lisa Howe-Ebright

Left: “ACT UP”, printed cotton, circa 1990, USA, gift of Richard Martin, 90.179.1 / Right: “Safe sex is hot sex”, printed cotton, 1991, USA, gift of Richard Martin, 91.143.10

Andre Walker paper dress designed for the Love Ball

AIDS devastated the fashion world. Members of the fashion and design industries responded to the AIDS crisis by organizing fund-raisers to support research, prevention, public policy reform, and assistance to people who were HIV-positive. Designer Andre Walker donated this paper dress to the Love Ball, one of many AIDS benefits.

Printed paper and synthetic twill, 1989, USA, gift of Paper Magazine, 89.102.2

Left: Franco Moschino ensemble

For this ensemble, Italian designer Franco Moschino exaggerates the iconic red lapel ribbon, signifying solidarity with people with AIDS. Like the design industry in the United States, Italian designers also supported AIDS benefits. Moschino (1950-1994) died of complications from AIDS.

Cotton sateen, rayon, and cotton denim - Vest: circa 1992, Italy / Pants: 1990s, Italy / gifts of Michael H. Harrell, 2010.74.24 and 2010.74.29

Right: Geoffrey Beene paper dress (for the Love Ball)

Geoffrey Beene (1927-2004), one of America’s pre-eminent designers, created this paper dress for the Love Ball, an AIDS benefit.

Tulle, newsprint paper, and chenille, 1989, USA, gift of Paper Magazine, 89.102.1

Thierry Mugler evening gown

Thierry Mugler combined fashion and fantasy to create a new kind of glamour. This ultra-feminine look strikes some observers as over-the-top, even “high camp.” But Mugler achieved great success with fashion-forward clients.

Lamé and satin, circa 1987, France, Museum purchase, 2011.13.1

Left: Walter Von Beirendonck T-shirt and trousers

The cult of the gym-toned body became a significant component of gay urban culture from the 1980s on. But menswear has evolved much more slowly. The muscular male torso printed on a stretch cotton T-shirt exemplifies Walter Von Beirendonck’s willingness to expand the boundaries of masculinity in dress.

Cotton knit and nylon, 2000 and 1997, Belgium / T-shirt: Gift of Walter Van Beirendonck, 2001.23.1 / Pants: Lent by Walter Von Beirendonck

Right: Thierry Mugler dress worn by Joey Arias

Joey Arias is a performance artist and singer who favors glamorous fashions, such as this gown by Thierry Mugler. Extreme and/or parodic images of glamour are often associated with the hyper-femininity of “drag queens.” Indeed, “the glamour image is central to drag performances, writes sociologist Esther Newton, since drag represents women “at their most desirable and exciting to men.”

Cotton and stretch synthetic, 1996, France, lent by Joey Arias

Jean Paul Gaultier ensemble worn by Darrell Moos

“Gaultier was the quintessential icon of gay fashion,” says French designer Darrell Moos, who wore this ensemble. “His personal commitment and . . . his fashion had, for us, a very strong symbolism. His style seduced me, and I never felt feminine wearing my jupe-culottes or skirts, but, on the contrary, I felt like a warrior.”

Polyamide and wool, Spring/Summer 1991 and 1994, France, lent by Darrell Moos

Jean Paul Gaultier ensemble worn by Antoine Bucher

“My first Gaultier garment was a gift from my grandmother,” says Antoine Bucher. “It was an iconic marinière, but more than evoking sailors and Querelle, for me it symbolized freedom, the sexual freedom that Gaultier represented. Five years later, when I was working for Gaultier, I could get clothes from the runway, and I chose these silver lamé trousers with biker pants printed on, which I wore at the party launching a bottle of champagne (corseted) designed by Gaultier.”

Cotton and denim, circa 1993 and 1999, France, gifts of Antoine Bucher, 2012.56.1 and 2012.56.2

Jean Paul Gaultier sailor ensemble

The sailor has long been a homoerotic icon. Witness Paul Cadmus’s The Fleet’s In, Jean Genet’s novel and Fassbinder’s film, Querelle, drawings by Tom of Finland, and Le Marin by Pierre et Gilles. Sailors have also inspired a host of Gaultier’s fashions for both men and women, as well as his perfume advertisements and television commercials featuring gay or bisexual sailors.

Neoprene and spandex, Spring/Summer 1996, France, lent by the Maison Jean Paul Gaultier

Calvin Klein billboard in Times Square, 1982.

Photo by Andy Levin.

Installation view

Left: Leather ensemble
Chaps, cod piece, wrist cuffs, and choker

Although many leather enthusiasts are heterosexual, a significant gay “leatherman” culture emerged in the 1970s, especially in cities like San Francisco and New York, where certain leather garments and ensembles signified an interest in sadomasochism and sex play. At gay clubs like the Mineshaft, leather was obligatory.

Faux leather and metal, circa 2005, USA, lent by Anonymous

Right: Justine Taylor ensemble

The Australian fashion designer and out lesbian Justine Taylor wore this ensemble while riding a motorcycle at the Sydney Gay Pride Parade. In recent years, younger lesbians—”grrls” and “bois”—have often adopted “fierce” clothes with overt sex appeal.

Leather and metal, 1995, Australia, lent by Justine Taylor

Gianni Versace suit with Warhol-inspired print

Andy Warhol’s camp images of celebrities inspired this suit by Versace. “Camp” is an aesthetic sensibility that is difficult to describe, involving banality, artifice, and a perversely sophisticated appeal. It has long been associated with homosexuality and has influenced postmodern art.

Cotton and silk, 1991, Italy, Museum purchase, 2010.56.1

Leather ensemble worn by Scott Ewalt

This extraordinary leather ensemble was worn by artist Scott Ewalt, who says that “It was a redefinition of the traditional leatherman look associated with Tom of Finland. I wanted to stress the silhouette—hence the corset by Mr. Pearl.”

Levi Strauss, denim jacket, 1987, USA / Mr. Pearl, corset, 1992, France / Abel Villarreal, trousers, 1994, USA / Agatha Leather, gauntlets, 1995, USA / Wesco, boots (custom made), 1992, USA.
Lent by Scott Ewalt

John Bartlett ensemble

“There are many gay men in fashion,” says designer John Bartlett. “Fashion is one of the rare industries that accept gay men.” One of the first American menswear designers to be openly gay, Bartlett has often incorporated elements from gay styles into his designs. This ensemble, for example, clearly references the leatherman look, while also modernizing it.

Leather, rayon, wool, cotton, and metal, Fall/Winter 2000-2001, USA, lent by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, gift of John Bartlett, 2004

San Francisco Gay Day Parade, 1978

Courtesy of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society

Installation view

Gianni Versace suit worn by Hal Rubenstein

Hal Rubenstein, author and editor, was close friends with Gianni Versace. As an out gay man, Rubenstein appreciated Versace’s sexy style. He says: “The fabric is unbelievable . . . you could feel the wind coming off South Beach against your skin. Gianni preferred that you wore the suit with a T-shirt and nothing else. He was disappointed that I first stepped into a pair of black briefs.”

Silk cord, circa 1990s, Italy, lent by Hal Rubenstein

Ensemble worn by Robert Verdi

Robert Verdi’s ensemble combines a cream wool Tom Ford overcoat with a gold lamé and black satin Dsquared2 jacket, brocade Gucci trousers, Marc Jacobs sunglasses, gold snakeskin boots by Paul Smith, and a white mink bow tie. This look, he suggests, epitomizes a particular kind of queer style.

Tom Ford, overcoat, circa 1995, USA / Dsquared2, tuxedo jacket, Fall 2007, Italy / Gucci, trousers, circa 1995, Italy / Paul Smith, boots, England / Marc Jacobs, sunglasses, 2000s, USA.
Lent by Robert Verdi

Left: Ensemble worn by Anna Blume

“Through clothing an inner phantom self becomes visible,” says Anna Blume, who is known for wearing what is usually thought of as men’s clothing. A videotaped interview with Professor Blume can be seen in the next gallery.

Paul Harden, jacket, circa 2010, England / Comme des Garçons, shirt, circa 2010, Japan / Prada, trousers, circa 2010, Italy / Jil Sander, necktie, circa 2010, Germany / Boots, circa 2010, Italy.
Lent by Anna Blume, Professor of Art History, Fashion Institute of Technology, 2001-present.

Right: Opus 9 suit

The Australian fashion designer Justine Taylor designed this suit for her line, Opus 9. Taylor is among the relatively few women designers who are out as lesbians.

Cotton, linen, viscose, and leather, 2012, Australia, Museum purchase, 2012.48.1

Walter Von Beirendonck suit

“For me, sex is as normal as eating,” says Walter Van Beirendonck. The avant-garde Belgian menswear designer has often explored gender and sexuality in his work, challenging traditional definitions of masculinity.

Cotton, polyester, silk, and leather, Spring/Summer 2014, Home Sweet Home Collection
Belgium, lent by Walter Von Beirendonck

Photograph Michele Aboud

Opus 9, October 2012

Model: Ismini Papavlasopoulou / Stylist: Bex Sheers / Make up: Justine Purdue / Hair Stylist: Diane Dusting

Alexander McQueen dress

“My collections have always been autobiographical,” said Lee Alexander McQueen, “a lot to do with my own sexuality and coming to terms with the person I am.”

Silk engineered print and horse hair, Spring 2010, Plato’s Atlantis collection, England
Museum purchase, 2012.36.2

John Galliano for Christian Dior Haute Couture evening gown

“Galliano’s concept of femininity [is] about woman as femme fatale,” wrote Colin McDowell in his book about the designer whose glamorous and theatrical styles were at the forefront of fashion for more than a decade.

Silk lace, silk crepe chiffon, Fall 1997, France, Museum purchase, 2012.36.1

Butch Chanel, Wigstock, NYC, 1992. Photograph by Michael James O'Brien c.2013.

Alexander McQueen evening gown

McQueen’s aggressive and sexual fashions polarized audiences and he was often accused of misogyny. But his “perverse” and transgressive aesthetic was probably more about himself than about real women. After a collection inspired by Joan of Arc, McQueen said, “Anyone can be a martyr for their cause. Maybe I was a martyr for homosexuality when I was six.”

Silk, velvet, and bugle beads, Fall 2007, In memory of Elizabeth Howe, Salem 1692 collection
England, Museum purchase, 2013.2.1

Left: Rick Owens dress and boots worn by Karlo Steel

“When you’re growing up and you realize that you’re different, that can be alienating,” says Karlo Steel. But later, he says, he embraced “my otherness”— by, for example, wearing skirts: “You don’t have to be queer to wear a skirt, but it helps.” His dress is by Rick Owens, the bisexual designer who makes clothes, often gender-bending, for both men and women.

Cashmere and leather, Fall 2009, Fall 2005, France, lent by Karlo Steel

Right: John Bartlett “lumberjack” ensemble

Menswear designer John Bartlett often draws on stereotypes of masculinity. This lumberjack ensemble, for example, evokes the “bear” subculture.

Wool, cotton, and metal, 2002, USA, lent by Cincinnati Art Museum, gift of John Bartlett, 2004.209a-c

Left: Ensemble worn by Jeffrey Costello

Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra married after seventeen years together. In addition to being partners in life, they comprise the award-winning design team, Costello Tagliapietra. Large men with beards, they favor the plaid shirts and suspenders associated with the “bear” subculture.

Wool, suede, and cotton, 2012, USA, lent by Costello Tagliapietra

Right: Liz Collins Lumberjack Goddess Dress

Liz Collins is an artist and designer whose work often addresses gender and sexuality. Her Lumberjack Goddess Dress takes on the paradigm of lesbian stereotypes, the flannel shirt.

Silk, elastic, cotton, and flannel, 2005, USA, lent by Liz Collins

Photograph by Christos Karantzolas, @ 212 Artists Rep / Model: Andrej Pejic, @ DNA Models NY / Styling: Kyle Anderson / Hair: Menelaos Aleras, @ Ray Brown Pro, NY / Make up: Niki M’nray

Originally printed in SCHON ( Issue 14)

Installation view

Rag & Bone ensemble worn by Steven Kolb and J. Crew suit worn by Jay Inkpen

A hallmark of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender movement is the fight to have equal treatment under the law, including the right to marriage. On June 26, 2013, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was invalidated, striking a blow in favor of marriage equality. Steven Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and Jay Inkpen wore these suits at their wedding. Retailer J. Crew recently featured a gay couple, Benjamin and Ray, in the company’s on-line wedding album.

Wool, 2012, USA, lent by Steven Kolb and Jay Inkpen

“Equality. Get married to the Idea. Kenneth Cole”, printed cotton, 2013, USA, Museum purchase, 2013.4801

Wedding dresses worn by Alexis and Kim Stolz

A heterosexual wedding has clear sartorial rules. But what should a lesbian couple wear on their wedding day? “While progressive in some ways, our wedding in Bridgehampton had some very traditional elements that made it the wedding we both always dreamed of having. Plus, we both look good in white!”

Organza; silk, Spring 2013, USA, lent by Alexis and Kim Stolz

Installation view

44th Gay Pride Parade, New York City, June 30, 2013
Photograph by Viviane Moos