Catalogue Essay for Senior Seminar course at the Fashion Institute of Technology

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Kate Marcus
5/19/14
VA491
Professor Mari Dumett
Rock & Royal Catalogue Essay—It's Not Only Rock & Roll
Rock & Royal showcases the influence of the European royal courts and aristocracy on
rock and roll fashion during the 20th and 21st centuries. While costumes form the cornerstone of
the exhibition, it incorporates other mediums such as photographs, videos, and music in order to
provide visitors with an interdisciplinary view of art and history. The objects in Rock & Royal
address institutional changes that have underlying themes of fantasy, escapism, and decadence
while reinventing meanings about gender roles, sexuality, and social behavior. The exhibition
contextualizes works that play an immeasurable role in creating the dramatic looks and
performances that have made rock and roll an exciting and crucial force in popular culture.
Postmodern fashion is a broad and seemingly endless category, but one major
characteristic of its sensibility is the plundering of historical and cultural references for reuse
(Deihl). At the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna performed "Vogue" in a dress
previously worn by Glenn Close in Stephen Frears' 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons. Close played
a bored aristocrat who engages in sexually manipulative games, and costume designer James
Acheson won an Academy Award for the film's 18th century period clothing.
Madonna's routine is an excellent example of the importance of costume for an
entertainer. The costumes and accessories, along with the choreography and lyrics, subvert ideas
of conventional behavior and sexuality and help heighten the drama and theatricality of the

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performance. The performance is playful, subversive, sexual, and encapsulates several of the
themes and contexts that I want to explore.
Costumes must work with the words of the script (Evansen), or in the case of pop songs,
the lyrics. The lyrics emphasize fantasy and escapism through dance. After Madonna gets on
stage, her gestures are relatively demure as she bows while elegantly raising her arms, almost
like a curtsey. She sings, "You try everything you can to escape/The pain of life that you know"
Madonna's movements match up with the lyrics, most notably when she lifts up her skirt during
the lyric "where you bump and grind it."
The "Vogue" performance adds more layers to a cultural pastiche. The song itself
references two different artistic modes of practice, one dominant and the other underground.
Some of the lyrics reference film stars associated with Hollywood's Golden Age, but contrary to
popular belief, "Vogue" does not refer to the eponymous magazine. Rather, the song refers to a
particular subculture of drag queens living in New York during the 1980s, most of whom were
gay African-American and Latino men. The participants and traditions are explored in the 1990
documentary Paris is Burning, directed by Jennie Livingston.
The film Velvet Goldmine (1998, Director: Todd Haynes, Costume Designer: Sandy
Powell) is a biopic loosely based on David Bowie. “The Ballad of Maxwell Demon” is a song
written specifically for the film that functions as a music video within a feature-length format.
The visuals incorporate postmodern fashion worn by the main character, a fictional rock star
named Brian Slade. In the video he creates an alter ego named “Maxwell Demon,” a character
similar to Bowie’s alien Ziggy Stardust persona.
The costume’s style borrows heavily from the Rococo period associated with Louis XV
but is still identifiable as a glam rock outfit from the 1970s. The costume takes the soft pastels

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associated with Rococo and amplifies them into a brighter and more electric palette. The cut of
the suit, tight velvet pants, and chunky boots allow for ease of movement as Maxwell Demon
gestures with his entire body during the song.
Glam not only references old Hollywood, but the period before the French Revolution as
well. During Louis XV's reign, high heels, ruffles, wigs, and stiff silk garments emphasized the
superiority of the ruler and his court. (Skjold 2008). These stylistic elements were later
considered inappropriate and even socially transgressive because of their androgynous qualities.
However, such cues allowed fans to identify with each other within the glam rock subculture.
The costume also helps form the Maxwell Demon persona by creating an origin story and
mythology for the character, as if he were not only extraterrestrial, but a noble birthright as well.
Like glam rock, opera, ballet, and commedia dell'arte are predicated upon the
transgression of conventional musical boundaries and often reflect an analogous rejection of
traditional cultural boundaries surrounding sexual orientation, gender and class (McLeod 2001).
Commedia dell’arte can be traced to court jesters and other entertainers who performed for
royalty. The plots, characters, and costumes from the commedia dell’arte served as prototypes
for those of opera and ballet. Opera was the favorite form of court entertainment for Louis XIV,
as he felt its lavish scenery and costumes reaffirmed his beliefs in the high authority of his court
and divine right to rule.
While the supposed “high” modes of ballet and operatic performance seem to have little
in common with rock and roll, performers such as David Bowie and Queen’s Freddie Mercury
have adapted these styles not only in their music, but in their stage costumes as well. The Pierrot
and Harlequin characters from the commedia dell’arte tradition act out a number of roles, which

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include the trickster, the acrobat, the clown, and the heroic lover. Such characters can be
subversive, energetic, dramatic, and defiant, much like rock and roll.
Two of Pierrot's signature traits are his heavy makeup and ability to pantomime. Bowie
had such training in theatre before pursuing music. The costume, designed by Natasha Korniloff,
builds upon both his alien alter ego Ziggy Stardust and the traditional Pierrot (also known as the
"Blue Clown") costume. The outfit was used in the video for “Ashes to Ashes” and the album
cover for Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps). Korniloff's design was also included in the 2013
exhibition David Bowie Is at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
During the 1970s, Freddie Mercury adapted the style of the Harlequin character for one
of his stage costumes. Léon Bakst’s designs for the 1910 Ballets Russes production Carnival
inspired Mercury's black and white checkered unitard. The elegant movements of Russian dancer
Vaslav Nijinsky—also associated with the Ballets Russes—influenced Mercury's own
performances as well.
For The Rolling Stones’ 1981 American tour Mick Jagger wore a United
Kingdom/United States flag cape during the band’s encore. The garment is made from real flags,
and the metallic collar emphasizes its stately feel. The insignia borrows from the band’s
nationality and acknowledges the important role American blues play in their musical style.
Jagger also wore athletic wear and sneakers during these concerts—like Mercury's unitard,
Jagger's clothes allow for easier movement and highlight the strength and agility needed to put
on a memorable show.
Lady Gaga, an honorific stage name in itself, has become both music and fashion royalty.
Of her many costumes, two are appropriate for display in the exhibition. In 2009, Lady Gaga
wore an Elizabethan-esque dress, complete with a large frilly collar and poufy oversized sleeves

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made out of red latex when she met with Queen Elizabeth II. At the 2010 MTV Video Music
Awards, the singer's red carpet outfit was an Alexander McQueen dress made with an over layer
of gold and red silks with images inspired by Renaissance paintings. Underneath were several
layers of black taffeta. Lady Gaga's outfit also included McQueen's iconic lobster claw heels.
When she got up to accept the award for Best Female Video, Lady Gaga had difficulty moving
and needed assistance to get to the stage. The wearers of such exaggerated footwear in courtly
circles demonstrated their high status and morals (Skjold 2008).
People need to be seduced into really seeing and identifying with fashion before they can
begin to learn about it. Museum visitors are also becoming ever more visually sophisticated, and
exhibition design is increasingly important (Steele 2008). The main objective in planning Rock &
Royal was to show connections between seemingly unrelated topics and works. In addition to art
history, I have also studied film, creative writing, and gender studies. My academic experiences
have allowed me to use an interdisciplinary approach to education, and I believe that museum
gatekeepers need to expand their thought processes and look beyond formalist interpretations
when planning exhibitions. Rock & Royal is designed to be fun and interactive, and aims to break the
stereotype of the “serious” and intimidating museum experience. By unifying several themes, the
exhibition has several facets that would appealto a diverse audience.
One experience I had with the aforementioned works grew out of a project for another class I
took this semester,20th
Century Fashion and Art. I presented a virtual exhibition, and that was the
foundation for the Rock & Royal exhibition. I was also inspired by shows such as Savage Beauty and
PUNK: Chaos to Couture at the Costume Institute, as well as David Bowie Is. While these topics appeal
to me, I wanted to create an alternative to shows that focus on a single performer, designer, or theme. I
did not see the Bowie show but saw both Savage Beauty and PUNK: Chaos to Couture. For me,seeing

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Savage Beauty wasas emotionally devastating as it was gorgeous. On the other hand, I felt that the
relationship between haute couture and the DIY punk aesthetic in the PUNK show felt artificial.
Exhibitions focusing on costumes and textiles are not the only ones to face opposition.
For example, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland has been criticized for its displays of
artifacts in its exhibitions. Russell J. Reising writes, "The museum's holdings at times seem
strangely devoid of soul, largely because they are so isolated from the music. Moreover, the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum communicates very little of the dynamism of rock and
roll, its visceral, emotional, tactile, aural, and even aromatic thrill." I went to the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame about ten years ago and was rather disappointed—the idea of seeing Madonna's
Marilyn dress and Keith Moon's drum set is cool, but I still felt the kind of major disconnect that
Reising discusses.
Terry Stewart, the President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame discusses
several strategies for improving the visitor experience (Kent 2012). Stewart mentions the
importance of technology, and that it is vital because the staff "had a balance of technology and
static exhibits [and] artifacts, [but] you need to strike that balance" while acknowledging the
difficulty in telling complete stories through exhibition design. Stewart continues, "[Technology
is] what people expect" (Kent 2012). I agree with Stewart in the necessity of technology in
exhibition design, but not for the reason he mentions. If anything, I would like to display
unexpected technological effects that would surprise and stimulate visitors.
Spectacles [and] audiovisual performances have a strong lineage in Los Angeles (James
2008). In designing Rock & Royal, there needs to be an audiovisual team handling this setup
while maintaining the kind of balance Stewart describes. An issue specific to the Resnick
Pavilion at LACMA concerns its lighting, as the natural light permeating the space might clash
with the objects on display. However, LACMA's staff has experience with these technological

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issues, including the recent James Turrell retrospective, a portion of which was housed in the
Resnick Pavilion.
One strategy to develop meaning for visitors is to encourage participation and interaction,
as well as present a range of textual sites through which music is experienced (Leonard 2007). In
October 2010, the Resnick Pavilion opened to the public. One of the first exhibitions shown was
Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915. Two curators from LACMA's
Costume and Textiles Department, Sharon Takeda and Kaye Spilker, used a similar strategy for
the garments on display. For the show, mannequins were set atop raised platforms and protected
by open booths. Such a presentation resembles a stage with the mannequins as actors.
One of the most obvious differences between costumes and everyday dress is the nature
of a live performance on stage. The audience is often far from the stage, requiring costumes to be
oversized, voluminous, or brightly colored. What is lost in the appreciation of fine detail can be
an opportunity for adding drama (Evensen). For Rock & Royal, I want visitors to be able to
experience both the heightened drama of the garments and the level of detail and craftsmanship
needed to produce them.
Curators and designers might include close-up photographs and fabric swatches in order
to show a costume's details while placing these materials near the fully-dressed mannequins.
This technique allows visitors to experience an entire garment and its detailing simultaneously.
Working together, these components create a range of textual sites, one of Leonard's strategies
for increasing the meaning and value of exhibitions for the audience.
Most visitors naturally imagine what it would be like to wear the clothes on display
(Palmer 2008). This belief is in line with the themes of fantasy and escapism that underlie the

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exhibition, thus allowing visitors to get as close as possible to the works both physically and
emotionally.
Palmer discusses how modern clothing is easier to work with than older textiles in both
conservation and presentation. Newer garments tend to be less damaged and require less
maintenance than older ones, which saves a museum time and money in the long run. Without
proper conservation techniques, objects become unable to tell their stories, rendering them
useless to museums, and more importantly, to the public. When a costume is in good condition,
an individual can visualize wearing it more easily.
There are still tensions between "high culture" that focuses on aesthetic quality and
connoisseurship and the "low culture" of popular music and fashion. They are perceived as cheap
and tawdry entertainment and unworthy for display in a museum or gallery setting. A "low
culture" work is visceral, and the audience desires fiction and fantasy. It can control, gratify,
outrage, and exhaust an audience while touching our private needs, unacknowledged inhibitions,
and our unconscious animosities and loves (Somma 1969). With this attitude in mind, Rock &
Royal has the potential to become a blockbuster show that would increase a venue's prestige,
attendance, and sponsorship, thus generating meaning and value not only for visitors, but for an
institution as well.

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Works Cited
Auslander, Philip. Performing glam rock: gender and theatricality in popular music. Ann Arbor,
Mich.: University of Michigan Press, 2006. Print.
Deihl, Nancy. "Post-modernism in fashion." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford
University Press. Web. 14 May.
20142014.<http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T2082725>.
Evenson, Sandra. "Dress as Costume in the Theater and Performing Arts." The Berg Fashion
Library. The Berg Fashion Library, Sept. Web. 17 May. 2014.
<http://libproxy.fitsuny.edu:2105/view/bewdf/BEWDF-v10/EDch10018.xml>.
Frith, Simon. Performing rites: on the value of popular music. Cambridge: Harvard University
Press, 1996. Print.
James, David E. "Rock 'n' Roll and Expanded Cinema in L.A." American Art 22.2 (2008): 14-16.
Rock 'n' Roll and Expanded Cinema in L.A.. Web. 15 May 2014.
Kent, Raymond. "Rockin'-and-a-rollin'." TD&T [Theatre Design & Technology] Winter 2012:
46+. Academic OneFile. Web. 18 May 2014.
Leonard, Marion. "Constructing histories through material culture: Popular Music, Museums and
Collecting." Popular Music History 2.2 (2007): 147-167. Constructing histories through
material culture: Popular Music, Museums and Collecting. Web. 15 May 2014.
Leonard, Marion. "Exhibiting Popular Music: Museum Audiences, Inclusion and Social
History." Journal of New Music Research 39.2 (2010): 171-181. Exhibiting Popular
Music: Museum Audiences, Inclusion and Social History. Web. 15 May 2014.
McLeod, Ken. "Bohemian Rhapsodies: Operatic Influences On Rock Music." Popular Music

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20.02 (2001): 189-203. Bohemian Rhapsodies: Operatic Influences On Rock Music.
Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Mitchell, Tony. "Performance and the Postmodern in Pop Music." Theatre Journal 41.3 (1989):
273-293. Print.
Morgenroth, Joyce. "Dressing for the dance." The Wilson Quarterly 22.2 (1998): 88+. General
OneFile. Web. 18 May 2014.
Palmer, Alexandra. "Untouchable: Creating Desire And Knowledge In Museum Costume And
Textile Exhibitions." Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture 12.1
(2008): 31-63. Untouchable: Creating Desire And Knowledge In Museum Costume And
Textile Exhibitions. Web. 15 May 2014.
Railton, Diane. "The Gendered Carnival Of Pop." Popular Music 20.03 (2001): 321-331. The
Gendered Carnival Of Pop. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
Reising, Russell J. "The Secret Lives of Objects; The Secret Stories of Rock and Roll:
Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and Seattle's Experience Music
Project." American Quarterly 53.3 (2001): 489-510. The Secret Lives of Objects; The
Secret Stories of Rock and Roll: Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
and Seattle's Experience Music Project. Web. 15 May 2014.
Steele, Valerie. "Museum Quality: The Rise Of The Fashion Exhibition." Fashion Theory: The
Journal of Dress, Body & Culture 12.1 (2008): 7-30. Museum Quality: The Rise of the
Fashion Exhibition. Web. 15 May 2014.
Skjold, Else. "Music and Dress in West Europe." Creative Encounters. Copenhagen Business
School, 1 Nov. 2008. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.

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<http://openarchive.cbs.dk/bitstream/handle/10398/7768/Creative%20Encounters%20W
orking%20Papers%2020.pdf?sequence=1>.
Somma, Robert. "Rock Theatricality." The Drama review 14.1 (1969): 128-138. Print.