Dark romanticism prevails at the gothic fashion exhibit at FIT

She was talking figuratively about the idea of seasonal renewal, killing off old styles so that new ones can emerge and grow. However, a new exhibit called “Gothic: Dark Glamour” at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology takes a more literal look at how the theme of death has been carried through clothes over many years.

Other than the obvious black – fashion’s favorite color – designers have repeatedly turned to symbols of the dark side, ranging from the distortion of the body, to dark veils and the skull-and-crossbone motif.

“There is a dark romanticism to the look of goth, which gives it a broader appeal than those who would identify themselves as goths,” says Valerie Steele, chief curator at the museum. “And why does it appeal to so many different people? Because this is different from the banality of everyday life.”

Steele has assembled scores of outfits, many by Jean-Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Ricardo Tischi and Rick Owens – who was himself a goth at one point – among others into a dramatic display that emphasizes haunted labyrinths, ruined castles and cemeteries. She has put accessories, such as bat-themed brooches and death masks, in a cabinet of curiosities. Provocative goth-fashion photos by Sean Ellis line the walls.

One is easily reminded that decadence, epitomized by Theirry Mugler’s high-neck opera ensemble made of faux monkey fur, is rooted in social decay.