Met Ball Behind The Fashion Promoter Andrew Bolton

New York, the United States, few people know that the most famous "1977 China" series of Yves Saint Laurent is actually one of the most "unworthy" collections in fashion history.

The inspiration for this series does not come from China, but from the Josef express von express of Shanghai, a Hollywood production film featuring an English prostitute story, directed by an Austrian director and a German actor.

As the curator of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Costume Institute) curator of New York, Andrew Bolton did not learn this until the most recent conversation with Saint's partner.

But for the self styled idiot Bolton, the inside story is not just a gossip. It is also an affirmation of Bolton's next Met Ball theme.

Met Ball itself has now developed into an institution.

Almost every important designer, model and actor will embark on Monday night to be one of the world's most dazzling red carpet chairs by American editor in chief of Vogue and Anna Wintour, Kangtai's art director.

This seemingly flashy occasion is actually a noble cause: fundraising for the Fashion Institute of the museum.

Nevertheless, it seems easy to forget that the so-called "annual party" also marks the formal opening of the new fashion art festival of the fashion academy.

The theme of this year's Met Ball (Met Gala) is designated as "China: the China: Through the Looking Glass".

But, as Bolton emphasized, the theme is not just about China, but about China.

"To a certain extent, what we are showing is not a real China, but a fantasy about China, a sharing between East and West."

"We always choose a theme that can predict trends or greater cultural phenomena in time."

Bolton said: "obviously, China is a huge fashion market, but I also want to show the connection between East and West."

This is a very big theme, which involves political problems and some problems have even emerged.

Bolton is very calm.

Although he admits that the subject is very complicated, he declares that his task is very simple.

His goal is to deconstruct a traditional assumption that the influence of the East accepted by the west is only a copy and the idea of eternal orthodox in the East.

"I hope we will introduce a new way of observing East West relations," he said.

Through self doubt in exhibitions held over the years, the elegant British curator admits that the thirteen exhibitions so far have changed him to some extent and become part of his life.

He has been insisting on his ideas from the beginning, so the exhibitors will see significant development from organization to the opening of the exhibition.

"I had serious procrastination and this disease became worse after graduation."

Bolton revealed that, of course, this is also due to his concern that the exhibition may not be commented on by critics or even the public.

This exhibition is not just about China.

It is actually a fantasy about China, a kind of sharing between East and West.

Bolton has reason to be more vigilant.

With the successful planning of one of the most successful fashion exhibitions in the Museum History (Alexander McQueen:Savage Besuty 2011) and the V&A Museum exhibition in London, he also planned "PUNK: Chaos to Couture" (2013).

However, the latter reaction is not so successful.

"I am very disappointed about this.

Faced with the narrow and predominant reaction of the masses, I can only think helplessly that I will never win. "

Of course, in fact, Bolton has already surpassed the victory, and his talent has brought him from the countryside in northern England to the upper east side of Manhattan, and he has held an important position in the intersection of art, fashion and college. Recently he was awarded the Vilcek Foundation's outstanding achievement award.

Bolton was born in an ordinary middle-class family in a small town in Lancashire.

You may say that the place where he was born is not very obvious, but you will not deny that the era he came from is not ordinary.

"British culture has always embraced all kinds of subcultures. I am lucky that I grew up in a particularly rich era in the late [70 and 80s." I experienced various musical phenomena connected with different street styles: Punk, New Romance, Grunge, etc.

This is a remarkable era. You have never seen anyone dressed like that time and walk in the street.

This is the first time Bolton has come into contact with fashion, and his fate has changed since then.

"That makes me understand that fashion can be used to express identity and gender, sexual orientation, and even complex problems such as race.

And this power is extremely powerful.

Since then, I have been interested in fashion.

"At that time, I was too young to go to London, but I learned nutrition from new clothes magazines every month."

From the beginning, Bolton's fashion interest is similar to anthropology.

"I don't particularly care about high fashion because I don't have access to them either.

But what fascinates me is the difference: how do people behave themselves in an acceptable range?

Although he had fallen in love with fashion, he gave up trying to use fashion as a way of self expression in the early days.

He wants to play the role of a good observer.

"I am a quiet, bookish boy.

I have always admired those who have the courage to express their personalities and differences in weird clothes.

But I always look weird when I try to look at images [I admire the way those people are in fashion].

I always seem to be very simple and bookish. No matter what I do, I don't seem to be right; I really care about my heart.

So I decided to accept the bookworm in my heart.

However, Bolton never thought of engaging in the fashion industry.

"At that time, it did not seem to be a designer or journalist to live in the fashion world.

I never thought that it would be possible to enter this circle through academic means, so this is not an option either.

If today's common academic fashion theories and history courses existed, he would not know.

Bolton decided to study anthropology.

"I am so impressed by the cultural similarities that exist across the boundaries of the region."

(he later got a master's degree in non Western Art).

His anthropological background and his understanding of art history and literature explain why Bolton has repeatedly focused on social themes such as gender, death, race and national status.

"I think fashion is a good platform to solve these problems."

The first real curatorial position of Bolton is in the V&A Museum in London.

"There I learned to appreciate the aesthetic of still life and to separate them from the cultural background behind them.

It helped me a lot later.

Because I think the curator's role is to create a balance between aesthetics and the environment, and to provide audiences with sociological and humanistic significance and beautiful exhibits.

"

Bolton is in charge of the fashion department of a large art museum, showing him from other curators who work only for fashion museums.

"I have three times more responsibilities than others.

Our task is to record the history of fashion through innovative technology, and also record the trend of cultural development.

He said, "but in an art museum, we also have the art of promoting fashion, and encourage the responsibility of thinking about new ways of fashion."

Bolton uses his latest exhibitions to illustrate the various stages of curatorial.

The process may take 9 months to a year.

Compared with other museums, Bolton has a very short exhibition time.

But this way has also given him more opportunities to adapt to the current world's quick response to current events, Bolton said.

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"First of all, we come up with a general theme."

Bolton explained that the original core of the exhibition was a book about how the movie's performance in China changed with the attitude of the west towards China.

"How China is portrayed in movies has had a huge impact on fashion designers.

What I find interesting is that many of the views about China are divorced from reality.

And that's my inspiration.

"

Exhibits play a role in narrowing the topic and achieving focus.

Once I have a broad theme, I will start to make a storyboard and put together many pictures, such as fashion, Chinese art and so on, and try to sort out the story.

The curator's role is to tell stories. I am very lucky, because every one.

There is a story in every project.

My job is to clarify these stories to more viewers.

As Bolton said, planning exhibitions is a process of continuous refinement. The natural selection method ("the most powerful exhibits will shine to you, while the undistinguished ones will naturally be eliminated."

And continuous questioning is the key to success.

"It's like a chapter of a book," how these influences are shown in fashion "," what is the main source of inspiration for designers "and so on.

Then find out the sub topics in these chapters.

I always let the exhibits tell the stories behind them. I just weave them together into a theme so that the audience can understand.

Although many of the clothes are borrowed from other museums and private collections,

It also has the largest fashion collection in the world.

Buying new clothes is also an important part of Bolton's work.

Fashion curators like to buy clothes directly from the overpass.

"Because those samples are the most pure expression of designer's creativity, and these ideas are often diluted in clothing stores."

Surprisingly, Bolton revealed that as more and more designers began to choose to keep their files (due to increased image control and designer heritage issues), and the increasing competition between museums ("this is incredible competition, regular curators are competing for the same work").

Bolton says it is becoming increasingly difficult to capture contemporary fashions.

"Today, it is easier to trace the trend of history than to collect contemporary fashions."

However, for the clothing Institute, in order to maintain its competitiveness, sometimes Bolton must get several pieces from an excellent new design.

"We are very cautious, but we must act quickly, because if you do not get a Comme des Gar ons single product this season, then you may never get it."

Unlike other museum curators,

With the support of Anna Wintour, there is no concern about how to find suitable business partners to undertake the increasingly expensive exhibits of the clothing Institute.

"Anna is a great supporter, the patron saint of our department.

[since I joined in 2002], she has sponsored every exhibition every year.

Bolton said.

"This allows me to focus on exhibitions and to make my role very clear and never to worry about sponsors."

Finally, the story he told and the way to tell the story must be focused and noticeable, and the most important thing is to be novel enough.

In today's information age, people get knowledge at any time and anywhere, which makes it difficult for him to work.

"To some extent, the role of curators has become more difficult."

He said: "because of the Internet, the audience has a stronger understanding and appreciation of fashion.

Therefore, in order to maintain their interest, the fashion idea that I put forward must be exclusive, interesting, challenging and confrontational.