The second floor gallery departs from the Rococo, displaying costumes (unfortunately women’s only) from 1760 to 1960 that illustrate the evolution of dress over intervals of 20 or so years, through iconic pieces like those from the Empire and Art Nouveau periods as well as more recent pieces, like one of Paco Rabanne’s infamous metal-plated mini-dresses from the 1960s. Left: Dress, (c.1830-35), France Right: Afternoon Dress, c.1907, with veil, France. Not a few of the visitors (mostly young women) could be overheard mentioning the notorious fashion plate Marie Antoinette whether the timing of this exhibition was coincidence or not, the buzz surrounding Sofia Coppola’s recent movie is sure to have boosted visitor numbers. The first floor gallery covers the Rococo period (1760-1790), the time during which Kings Louis XV and XVI ruled France. It is impossible not to pause in front of these clothes and consider how much fashion has changed in the last 200 years – regardless of whether or not you lament today’s lack of tailcoats – and imagine how it will continue to evolve over the next 200 years. The centerpieces of the first floor showroom are an intricate, colorful embroidery silk dress from 1770 France, voluminous from its underlying crinolines, and a complementary men’s ensemble, also in heavily embroidered silk. While period costumes would seem to attract a niche audience-those who have a studied interest in fashion, history, or drama-the concise nature of the exhibition, and the venue’s convenient location just a few minutes walk from Shinjuku station, are designed to appeal to anyone with even a passing interest in fashion.
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