#techstyle is jointly curated by Pamela Parmal, Chair of the MFA’s David and Roberta Logie Department of Textile and Fashion Arts; Michelle Finamore, Penny Vinik Curator of Fashion Arts; and Lauren Whitley, Senior Curator of Textile and Fashion Arts. Highlights range from the “Ricky Bag with Light,” Ralph Lauren’s commercially available hand bag that can charge a cell phone, to “The Spike,” British bionic pop artist and MIT Media Lab fellow Viktoria Modesta’s high-tech artificial leg. The exhibition also features multimedia installations capturing live fashion shows, the 3D printing process and striking visuals of the garments in action—from the ballet to the runway—underscoring the importance of digital media in today’s world. In conjunction with the opening of #techstyle, the MFA celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Fashion Council, a group of Museum supporters with an interest in the intellectual, cultural and artistic aspects of fashion.

Today, clothing can act as a video monitor, mood detector, medical monitoring device, or even give a hug when needed. New technologies have also been harnessed to develop garments and accessories that enhance performance on the battlefront, athletic field and stage. The Performance section of the exhibition features interactive “wearables” and clothing that exploits technology for function and visual effect—from dresses that move independent of the wearer through electronics, to leather capes that change with a spectrum of colors in response to light, heat and wind. The interactive CuteCircuit MFA Dress (2016) is the centerpiece of this section. CuteCircuit, led by the design team of Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz, is at the forefront of developing interactive wearables and has designed a couture gown for singer Katy Perry and uniforms for the EasyJet airline. The duo used their “Magic Fabric” for the MFA commission, incorporating more than 10,000 MicroLEDs to create animations. Visitors can use an iPad to select images from the MFA’s collection, including Hokusai’s Great Wave and Ellsworth Kelly’s Blue Green Yellow Orange Red to display on the dress.

Also on view in the Performance section is van Herpen’s Water Splash Crystallization dress (2013), made in conjunction with SHOWStudio—a progressive fashion film studio—and based on video stills of water being splashed on style icon Daphne Guinness’s body. Additionally, a remotely controlled Possessed Dress (2015) designed by Chalayan is on view in conjunction with a video of the Sadler’s Wells ballet for which it was developed, Gravity Fatigue, where the dress can be seen moving independently of the dancer. Two ink-coated leather capes created by T H E U N S E E N—founded by lead material alchemist, Lauren Bowker—change in a rainbow spectrum in response to heat, light and air flow, reverting back to black in stasis. Conceptual artist Ying Gao’s Incertitudes ensemble (2013) is a kinetic garment that reacts to its environment. When a voice is within proximity, electronic sensors activate the dressmaker pins covering the surface of the garment, causing them to move in waves. Visitors can interact with the work every Wednesday at 1-2 pm and 6-7 pm during the run of the exhibition.

Van Herpen and Noa Raviv are among several designers working with scientists and mathematicians to experiment with the potential of 3D printing and computer algorithms. While 3D-printed garments are still in the experimental stages, the technology reveals a future where clothes might be designed to one’s own measurements and produced on one’s own printer. Several 3D-printed dresses, along with video showing them being printed, demonstrate improvements in drape, fluidity and fit. Recently acquired by the MFA, the Anthazoa 3D Cape and Skirt, Voltage Collection (2013), was one of the first 3D-printed dresses to walk down a Paris runway. Conceptualized by Neri Oxman—an architect and designer from MIT Media Lab—and designed by van Herpen, the dress’ parts were made in Israel by Stratasys. The 3D-printing company also collaborated with threeASFOUR on the Harmonograph Dress (2016), a garment that follows the geometry of the Fibonacci sequence and was recently unveiled at New York Fashion Week. The future is already here for 3D-printed shoes, which are represented in the exhibition by Bitonti’s Molecule Shoes (2015) and United Nude’s Highrise Shoes (2015).

Not only can viewers participate in #techstyle on social media, but also mfa.org/techstyle is a hub for special videos and insights on the exhibition, including a Twitter and Instagram aggregator that will highlight the conversation as it happens online.
 
MFA Fashion Council
With the opening of #techstyle, the MFA celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Fashion Council, a group of Museum supporters established by the David and Roberta Logie Department of Textile and Fashion Arts in 2006. This unique group explores the intellectual, cultural and artistic aspects of fashionable dress in a convivial and social setting. Participants enjoy exclusive and lively programs throughout the year that feature prominent designers, jewelers, journalists, collectors, academics and artists connected with the fashion world. A special anniversary party on Saturday, March 5, serves as both a celebration and preview of #techstyle.
 

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), is recognized for the quality and scope of its collection, representing all cultures and time periods. The Museum has more than 140 galleries displaying its encyclopedic collection, which includes Art of the Americas; Art of Europe; Contemporary Art; Art of Asia, Oceania, and Africa; Art of the Ancient World; Prints, Drawings, and Photographs; Textile and Fashion Arts; and Musical Instruments. 

Open seven days a week, the MFA’s hours are Saturday through Tuesday, 10 am–4:45 pm; and Wednesday through Friday, 10 am–9:45 pm. Admission (which includes one repeat visit within 10 days) is $25 for adults and $23 for seniors and students age 18 and older, and includes entry to all galleries and special exhibitions. Admission is free for University Members and individual youths age 17 and younger. Wednesday nights after 4 pm admission is by voluntary contribution (suggested donation $25). MFA Members are always admitted for free. The Museum’s mobile MFA Guide is available at ticket desks and the Sharf Visitor Center for $5, members; $6, non-members; and $4, youths. The Museum is closed on New Year’s Day, Patriots’ Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. 
 
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