Forbidden City meets Big Apple

I finally caught up with myself after spending two months in two completely contrasting cultures. As predicted, Google was blocked in China and there was no Google god to intercede on my behalf (see my blog post). That post was sent via secret email out of the country so that someone could post it for me. But after a week of juggling coursework, sightseeing and being part of a group of 30 20-somethings, I gave up on the blogosphere. Typhoons, time zones and techno-glitches also kept me from blogging, but now I’m back in full force…   

Not being able to blog was incredibly frustrating, because it had become a therapeutic habit after two months in Prague. Writing not only helped me to process new experiences, it was also a great way to update everyone at home.  Anyway, here I am back in Cape Town, finding my mojo.

There it is!

When I arrived in New York, I desperately needed something to bridge the gap between China and the US, because I was starting to wonder whether I had entered a parallel universe. A 12-hour time difference, a typhoon and over 20 hours of travelling can do that to a person! I found exactly what I was searching for at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 China: Through the Looking Glass tells the story of how the East has influenced the West, since the 16^th century, and provided inspiration for fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent. At the exhibition, “high fashion is juxtaposed with Chinese costumes, paintings, porcelains, and other art, as well as films to reveal enchanting reflections of Chinese imagery.” 

Formal Robe for the Tongzhi Emperor (1862)
inspired dress (1998) by House of Dior (right)

Yves Saint Laurent & Tom Ford (2004-5)

My jet-lagged body had no problem wandering through the three floors of The Costume Institute exhibition, and for a few hours I was transported to another dimension by smells, sounds and sights. I was amazed by how much the East has actually influenced the West, from tip to toe (literally!).

When I emerged from the Met I felt a little less confused and jet-lagged and was ready to take on the Big Apple. Visiting the exhibition was a good way for me to close my China chapter and focus on New York, New York! 

The exhibition has been extended to 7 September 2015. I highly recommend it! 

Dress by Guo Pei (2007)

More about China and the US coming up!