From Grit to Glamour in American Fashion.

• Position: Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour

Casting a fresh eye on two centuries of innovative and distinctly American fashion, the exhibition "Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour" will feature more than 90 designers and iconic U.S. labels, exploring and celebrating the nation's diverse fashion heritage and spirit of invention while spotlighting the untold stories of underrecognized and underrepresented designers, important contemporary movements shaping the industry, and American fashion's resonance in global trends and visual culture. "Fashioning America" will be on view Sept. 10-Jan. 30, 2023, at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Ark.

Through seven themed sections showcasing the expanse of American fashion as the amalgamation of all things culture--from denim jeans to bathing suits, sneakers to cowboy boots, zoot suits to leisure suits, sportswear to underwear, and Hollywood glamour to street style--the exhibition emphasizes the work of black and Native American designers and features geographical representation of fashion designers and histories from across the country.

"I always think of Crystal Bridges as a platform for inclusive storytelling, and we are thrilled to present our debut fashion exhibition boldly focused on the diverse origins and untold narratives of American fashion," says Olivia Walton, museum board chair. "Fashion is very much the art of our everyday lives, a medium of self-expression and culture, a wellspring of creativity and vision. We are so excited to bring these voices and stories to the heartland of America."

The exhibition will feature pieces on loan from Vogue magazine's global editor at large, Hamish Bowles, plus other private collections and household names such as Ralph Lauren, Nike, Vera Wang, and Levi-Strauss alongside statement-making styles by designers Virgil Abloh, Carolina Herrera, Patricia Michaels, Virgil Ortiz, Anna Sui, and Isabel Toledo. The first-ever interactive digital garment to be displayed in a museum exhibition will debut in "Fashioning America" through a collaboration with bionic pop artist and futurist Viktoria Modesta.

Along with boasting highlights from fashion legends, the exhibit will lift the veil on little-known players such as Ann Lowe, who designed Jackie Kennedy's wedding dress, and Bill Whitten, who created Michael Jackson's iconic glove. The exhibition also will...