Fashioning Heroes

I have no secret identity. I have no superpowers, and I shamefully admit I still haven’t seen The Dark Knight (although doubt not, it is on my next week’s program!). Nonetheless I would gladly drop everything I have to do today in exchange for the original 1970’s Wonder Woman costume, and fly off to The Met to see the eight corners of the super-fashion Superheroes: fashion and fantasy exhibit.

Superheroes have made a distinct comeback in the past years, in films especially, with the X-men trilogy, Iron Man, Superman, The Hulk, Spiderman, The Fantastic Four and of course Batman to name a few of the masked (and unmasked) heroes that leapt out of their comic books back into our lives. Superheroes (now as much as in 1938, when Superman first made his groundbreaking appearance in America) are a metaphor for shifting notions of self and society. Think about Superman’s second skin power suit (literary), the Hulk’s emblematic hegemonic masculinity, Captain America or Wonder Woman’s costumes made out of the American flag or the unpredictable, uncontrollable and persecuted bodies of the X-men. How closely linked are they to crime fighting, the Cold War, masculinity and discrimination? It could easily be said that Superheroes are the Fashion of society: they reflect what we metaphorically want to clothe ourselves with. The Miu-Miu capes, Spiderman as a fashion icon or Gareth Pugh’s homage to Tin Man (Autumn/Winter RTW 2008-9 show) prove Andrew Bolton (the exhibition’s curator) right as he underlines the “strong synergy [existing] between the concept of the Superhero and the concept of fashion.”

So, if we were to borrow Superman’s X-ray vision and peek all the way to New York, what would we see? The costumes on show range from Christian Bale’s Batman suit to a frightfully stunning black feathered dress with a leather armoured bodice and arm-plaits by Thierry Mugler (Spring/Summer 1997). X-men’s body shifter, Mystique, overlooks the Mutant section of the exhibit. The other corners include the Graphic body, the Patriotic body, the Virile body – although ladies, no need to rush to this one in the hope of seeing perfect muscles and playboy side-looks, modelled on the image of the American footballer; the virile body was inspired by the Hulk (who, although a phallic symbol with bulging muscles and thumping veins, might not be everyone’s taste). The Paradoxical body corner might be inspiring to the gents though, with the “bad girl-good girl” Catwoman influence and a lot of “wet-look” materials, whips, corsets and high heels, intriguing and sexy stereotypes brought to life by McQueen, Galliano, Dolce and Gabbana and Mugler – anyone admitting to be into fetishism?

We can then move on to the Armoured body: the new Iron Man costume rubbing shoulders with a Dolce and Gabbana (Autumn/Winter 2007) silver mini dress worthy enough to be Iron Woman if designers or comics creators ever needed to feminise the armour… Also, it is impossible to miss Balmain’s gold, armour-like leggings, inspired by electric chips. The Aerodynamic body hosts Eiko Ishioka's "Muscle Suit," Nike's "Swift Suit," and Speedo's "Fastskin" suits all three inspired by Flash Gordon and Giacomo Balla’s Futurist Manifesto of Men’s Clothing (1913) which raises the eternal question: should clothing be functional or superficial? Clearly both if you are a superhero!

The last corner, the Postmodern body is not short of raising issues either, with a pirate logo, printed McQueen mini dress, and a military inspired piece from Galliano – a lot of symbols of fighting and mortality. The postmodern fashion-body is torn, aggressive and revengeful with eclectic colours, aggressive patterns and fabrics, and an impressive Ghost rider in the background.

Superheroes certainly have found their match in Avant-guard designers. All of the iconic comic book heroes, breathtaking dresses and Couture pieces are paid homage to with backdrops and sets designed by Nathan Crowley (production designer of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight). It seems Superheroes and fashion are meant to be fighting the same fight of metaphors, and this fusion certainly is a head turning success that will leave any Marvel or fashion-forward (or both, since a Galliano clad Spiderwoman is no longer a supernatural speculation) fan with a head bursting with questions, and maybe a little hidden disappointment that super speed and elastic limbs can only exist in comic books.

Officer's Mark

After a summer of delicate hues and lushly printed skirts that would be lost in a flower field, the mood shifts from pastel-coloured romance to subtly aggressive seduction. Designers have unleashed onto the catwalks a jumble of army wear from every area and every country one can think of. But none of this controversial camouflage, khaki soldiers uniforms of the last decade. This season looks up to precisely fitted, sombre-coloured (black is the new black once again!) Officer styles – Napoleonian cuffs, gold-bordered Hussard inspired jackets or Russian Generals’ epaulettes. Dazzling, sculptural, softly seductive, even – think strong contrast between strict and loose, stiff collars and organza skirts, marine blue and gold-layered fawn. Ralf Lauren tells us the perfect balance to this autumn’s military precision craze is in keeping “allure” at all costs: there is no talk of tossing the sensual feminine touch that intoxicated us all over spring and summer like dried out meadow flowers. Frills and silk emerge from sharp blazers and accents of red and gold punctuate the trend. Temperly teams a fitted, immaculately white jacket with romantic skirts and high black boots to craft a princess with a fighting temper.

An eerie mini or flowing filmy skirt with a feminine fur-hat or a cloche, a sculpted, heavily decorated stiff uniform and soaring patent heels might be the new (somewhat confusing in its profusion of details!) take on the military: all about glamorous precision. Quite far from the various more or less subtle connotations military trends usually carry: it seems to be more about fantasy and dressing up (keeping the playground mood of this summer) than a sign of supporting “the fight for the greater good” as during WWI and WWII, or a vigorous and visual protest against ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The Noughties have shown the concerns and protests raging against war (with Iraq especially) by raiding the catwalks and high-street shops with berets, trench coats, cinch belts, combat gear and camouflage especially favoured by houses like Balenciaga or Versace.

However this year, the military rage has gone softer and golden. Is there a truce between political conflicts and fashion, or have the designers picked upon the military style’s other undertones? Military chic and opulence connotes a world of inequalities and violence in which we are the Generals – outside, yet concerned with the conflict – like Alexander Mc Queen’s shiny, glamorous yet serious take on the trend with tight leggings the colour of the outfit’s insignias and brass buttons. The balance of civilian and officer, male and female (with gender bending and sensuality notes) unleashes a “je ne sais quoi” of seduction and innovation: military clothes are also a subtext to women’s empowerment.

Autumn should be warned, women are about to stir the ranks!