China has stood out in many Western portrayals as a land of mystery, whether warranted or not. There has been a yearning to learn more about the Far East in a way that steers clear from misrepresentation and focuses on the beauty of its deep rooted culture. With the Costume Institute’s latest China Through the Looking Glass exhibit (on display at the Met from May 7 to August 16, 2015), curator Andrew Bolton and his team took on the daunting task of creating an immersive experience for the viewer that equally inspires as it does teach. With over 140 pieces of couture and ready-to-wear placed side-by-side with Chinese paintings, sculptures, and recreated architecture, the results are a visually stimulating fusion courtesy of a collaboration with acclaimed director Wong Kar Wai serving as artistic director and Academy Award nominated production designer Nathan Crowley.

Presented in the Museum’s Chinese Galleries and the newly decreed Anna Wintour Costume Center, the labyrinth-like exhibition reveals the impact of centuries of Chinese culture influencing Western fashion at every turn. For this joint effort between The Costume Institute and the Department of Asian Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art pulled out all the stops – it is larger than any previous exhibition, ambitiously expanding throughout the Costume Center and the galleries dedicated to Chinese art. With pieces loaned from Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier, Roberto Cavalli, and many more, and with headpieces created specially for the exhibit by Stephen Jones; you’ll see something for everyone, from the fashion enthusiast to the curious spectator.

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