Lululemon yoga pants featured in MoMA fashion design exhibition

Oct 13 2017, 11:49 pm

Canada’s own Lululemon “Boogie” yoga pants are being featured in a new fashion exhibition showcasing “paragons of design” at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

The exhibition, entitled Items: Is Fashion Modern?, is the world famous museum’s first dedicated fashion design display since 1944.

Some 111 garments and accessories are featured in the exhibition, which opened at the beginning of October and runs through January next year.

According to a release, the exhibition is showcasing items that had “a profound effect” on the world over the last century.

The Lululemon “Boogie” yoga pants were created in 1998, when the company was founded in Vancouver by Chip Wilson.

Closeup of the Lululemon yoga pants included in Items-Is Fashion Modern? The Museum of Modern Art, New York, October 1, 2017-January 28, 2018. © 2017 The Museum of Modern Art. Photo- Martin Seck

Closeup of the Lululemon yoga pants included in Items-Is Fashion Modern? The Museum of Modern Art, New York, October 1, 2017-January 28, 2018. © 2017 The Museum of Modern Art. Photo- Martin Seck

As well as our iconic yoga pants, Team Canada’s 1976 women’s swimsuits are also featured, alongside Levi’s 501 Jeans, Nike’s Air Force 1s, Converse All Stars, and Adidas Superstars.

And of course, other items on display include the Little Black Dress, the Wonderbra, the sari, Gore-Tex, the leotard, Moon Boot, hoodie and the turtleneck.

Senior curator Paola Antonelli described fashion as a powerful form of creative and personal expression that can be approached from multiple angles of study.

“Fashion is unquestionably also a form of design,” said Antonelli. “With its pitch struck in
negotiations between form and function, means and goals, automated technologies and
craftsmanship, standardization and customization, universality and self-expression.”

Sounds like an average day shopping for yoga pants to us.

Full list of MoMA’s Items: Is Fashion Modern? exhibits

  • 1947 Levi’s 501 Jeans
  • Issey Miyake A-POC Queen Textile
  • 1983 Adidas Superstars
  • Nike Air Force 1s
  • 1942 Aran sweater
  • 1970s Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses
  • 1980s Prada Vela Backpack
  • Balaclava
  • 2010 Repetto, 1940s Valentina, 1940s Claire McCardell Ballet flats
  • Bandannas
  • 1950 and 1996 New Era Baseball caps
  • Boinas Elósegui, Laulhère Berets
  • 1950s Schott One-Star Perfecto Biker jacket
  • Blue Man 1970s Bikini
  • Jane Birkin’s Hermès bag
  • 1997 Comme des Garçons Body Meets Dress—Dress Meets Body dress
  • 1960s Orcival Breton shirt
  • Vintage Calvin Klein and Jockey Y-Front Briefs
  • Kangol, ATA Bucket hat
  • Ahiida Burkini
  • 1970s Thea Porter Caftans
  • 1940s Sonja de Lennart Capri pants
  • Cartier Love Bracelet
  • 1924 Chanel No. 5
  • 1930s Cheongsam
  • 1990s Levi’s Dockers Chinos
  • 1950 Converse All Stars
  • 1970s pair of OlofDaughters Clogs
  • La Coppola coppola
  • 1968 New Breed, Lagos Balogun Market Dashiki
  • Tiffany & Co. Diamond engagement ring
  • Jacob & Company Diamond stud
  • Door-knocker earrings
  • Moncler, Norma Kamali Down jackets
  • 1970s Dr. Martens
  • Vlisco by Loza Maléombho and Stylista Dutch wax
  • 1977 Yves Saint Laurent x Castañer Espadrilles
  • 1996 Vivienne Westwood x Louis Vuitton, 1990s Spark Pretty MTV Fanny pack
  • Fitbit Flex
  • 1980s fleece from Patagonia’s archive
  • Havaianas Flip-flops
  • Fur Coat from PETA’s archives
  • Marmot, Early Winters Gore-Tex
  • Graphic T-shirts
  • Ramón Puig, Miami Guayabera
  • 1933–35 Paul Poiret Harem pants
  • 1979 Sony Walkman Headphones
  • Gele, doek, turban head wraps
  • Haute Hijab, Uniqlo x Hana Tajima, Capsters, Al-Amira-style Hijabs
  • 1980s Champion Hoodie
  • 1974 Stephen Burrows Jumpsuit
  • Hirbawi Factory Keffiyeh
  • 1960s Julie “Chez Julie” Norteye Kente cloth
  • 1994 A/W Anglomania Kilt specially remade by Vivienne Westwood
  • Kippot Kippah
  • AIDS ribbon, remembrance poppy, peace sign, American flag Lapel pins
  • Little Black Dresses
    • 1926 Chanel
    • 1950 Christian Dior
    • 1968 Givenchy
    • 1981 Thierry Mugler
    • 2014 Rick Owens
    • 2013 Nervous System
    • 1996 Arnold Scaasi
    • 1990s Wolford
    • 1994 Versace
    • 1940s Utility Dress
  • 1966 Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Le Smoking
  • 1989 Mr. Leather Leather pants
  • 1976 Bonnie August x Danskin Leotard
  • 1970s BassLoafers
  • Chieko Nakayama Manicure Nail art sets
  • 1970s Mao jacket
  • 1967 Dispo paper Miniskirt
  • 1980s Dapper Dan Alpo Coat Monogram
  • 1970s Tecnica Moon boots
  • 1950s Brooks Brothers Oxford cloth button-down shirt
  • Domingo Carranza, Ecuador Panama hat
  • Mikimoto Pearl necklace
  • Janie Bryant for Mad Men Pencil skirt
  • 1980s Woolrich Plaid flannel shirt
  • Platforms
    • 1973 Biba
    • 1993 Buckler & Price
    • 1997 Buffalo
    • 1940s Delman
    • 2010 Noritaka Tatehana
    • 1987 Vivienne Westwood
    • 2010 Alexander McQueen
    • unknown designers from the 1930s, 40s, and 60s
    • a 1974 pair of Elton John’s stage platforms
  • Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, Fred Perry Polo shirts
  • 1950s Premamans
  • 1952 Revlon Fire and Ice Red lipstick
  • 1970s Rolex Datejust watch
  • 1970s Yves Saint Laurent his/hers Safari suits
  • 1977/78 McLaren/Westwood/Reid “God Save the Queen” shirt
  • Saris
    • Vintage banarasi
    • contemporary Rta Kapur Chishti khadi
    • contemporary Raw Mango
    • vintage “grandmother” sari
  • 1980s Donna Karan Seven easy pieces
  • Salwar kameez high school uniform
  • Kashmir Loom Shawls
  • Shift dresses
    • 1960 Anne Klein
    • 1994 Helmut Lang
    • 1966 Marimekko
    • 1960s Lilly Pulitzer
    • 1968 Paco Rabanne
    • 2016 Phelan
  • 1974 Halston Shirt dress
  • 1960 Hermès Silk scarf
  • 1994 and 1995 Calvin Klein Slip dresses
  • 1971 Snugli babycarrier
  • 1967 examples from Pierre Cardin’s Space Age Cosmos Collection
  • Spanx
  • Team USA 1968 men’s Speedo
  • Team Canada 1976 women’s swimsuit
  • Sports jerseys
    • Colin Kaepernick
    • Pelé
    • Michael Jordan
    • New Zealand Rugby Black Ferns
  • Stilettos
    • Manolo Blahnik
    • Jimmy Choo
    • Christian Louboutin
    • 1954 Stereotypes Stilettos by Roger Vivier
  • Suits
    • 2017 Anderson & Sheppard
    • 2017 Thom Browne
    • 2004 Yohji Yamamoto
    • 2001-2008 Carlo Brandelli
    • 1990s Giorgio Armani men’s and women’s
    • 1970 Bill Blass
    • 1945–54 Burton’s
    • 1940-42 Zoot Suit
  • Bain de Soleil/Coppertone Sunscreen
  • Surgical mask
  • 1980s and 1990s Swatches
  • 1989–2008 Maison Martin Margiela and MoMu Antwerp Tabi boots
  • Tattoo designs
  • 1988 Tevas
  • Marinella, Van Heusen, Arrow Ties
  • 1959 Glen Raven Tights/pantyhose
  • A Special remake of Bruce Lee’s 1971–72 Longstreet tracksuit
  • Burberry Westminster Heritage Trench Trench coat
  • 1980 Issey Miyake Turtleneck
  • 1970 Rudi Gernreich Unisex Project bodysuits
  • Hanes White T-shirt
  • 1990s Wonderbra
  • 1974 Diane von Furstenberg Wrap dress
  • 2001 and 2003 Yohji Yamamoto Y-3
  • 1998 Lululemon “Boogie” Yoga pants
  • YSL Touche Éclat

A number of prototype fashion items commissioned by modern designers and four 1944 sculptures by Costantino Nivola will also be on display.

Jenni SheppardJenni Sheppard

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