Michel Pastoureau begins his book Black: The History of a Color with a Biblical quote:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void. Darkness was upon the face of the deep… God said, ‘Let there be light”.

The color black has been a part of our collective pysche since the beginning of time. With a thorough text and a beautifully curated set of images, Pastoureau, a Historian at the Sarbonne, examines how over the centuries, the meaning and influence of the color has fluctuated in relation to culture, art and dress.

Prior to the year 1000, black was easily accepted as clothing. But in the early Christian period, black became less a color for everyday life and took on an association with the devilish and infernal. In medieval times, black was symbolic of wealth, royalty and luxury, before swinging back to the gloom and depression of the Romantic Period (think Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven). In the 20^th century, black and white film, photography and print elevated black once again.

As acceptability and perception have shifted over time, today we see black as a dual personality: the proper, businesslike, modern, sleek color of the little black dress and the business suit is the same as the dark, rebellious, dangerous color of the gothic and the undergound. Black reflects the duality of human values in our modern society. Much like Pastoureau looks at broad historical periods to identify how perceptions of black have changed over time, designers are also required to look at trends in society each season and determine how to use the color black in a collection. Keep your eye on the runway during fashion week and you’ll start to see exactly how this translates into fashion.

Pick up a copy from Princeton University Press or Amazon.

We finally made it to see the Costume Institute’s tribute to the late Alexander McQueen, the aptly named Savage Beauty, now on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

If you have had any doubt as to McQueen’s influence on the creation of fashion, look no further than this exhibit. Appropriately stationed at the Met, Savage Beauty is more art than anything else – no need to work in fashion to appreciate the gravity of these works. Guests wind through room after room of McQueen’s designs, spanning a career from his first collection as a graduate student, through his time at Givenchy, up to his final couture collection under the McQueen label.

The signature motifs of his work are on full display: inspirations from the natural world, unconventional materials, altered silhouettes and shapes, and the shocking techniques he used to make people “fear the women he dressed”. Also evident is the enormous pressure he created for himself, each collection setting an expectation of shock, spectacle, and beauty that kept the fashion community constantly wanting.

The curator, Andrew Bolton, has arranged the exhibit in 6 distinct sections, each with it’s own thematic feel and sound derived from McQueen’s frequent inspirations, under the through-line of Romanticism. In Bolton’s own words, “McQueen doggedly promoted freedom of thought and expression and championed the authority of the imagination. In so doing, he was an exemplar of the Romantic individual”.

The Romantic Mind - The first section of the exhibit showcases the impeccable construction and craftmanship McQueen learned while working as a tailor on Saville Row. Highlight: The “bumster” pants and gowns, which were lowcut in the back to exhibit what he considered the most attractive part of a man or women, the bottom of the spine (and the accompanying cleavage of the rear end).

Romantic Gothic – Murky mirrors bring you inside an Edgar Allen Poe poem (McQueen referred to himself as the Poe of Fashion). Perhaps the darkest section of the exhibit contains his elaborate leatherwork inspired by bondage costume, and extensive use of bird feathers. Highlight: The centerpiece of the show is the Cabinet of Curiosities, a room containing some of the iconic pieces of several collections, the most elaborate accessories, and filmed segments of his most famous runway moments.

Romantic Nationalism – Drawing on his Scottish heritage and British identity, his exploration of tartan is on one side and regal attire on the other.

Romantic Exoticism – It’s a walk into a life-sized music box to view the fine detailing of his embroidery, which stemmed from his exploration of Japanese, Chinese and Indian culture. Highlight: A Japanese inspired straight-jacket robe with a giant windowbox hat.

Romantic Primitivism – Largely containing work from the collection Irere, which told the story of a shipwreck and consequent landing in the Amazon jungle. Highlight: The film by John Maybury shown on a screen on the ceiling depicts a model swimming in silk and water, and originally played as the backdrop of this runway show.

Romantic Naturalism – Inspired by nature, a constant throughout his work, these pieces utilize everything from feathers to flowers. Highlight: Take special note of the iconic armadillo boots, made famous by Lady Gaga.

The Exhibit has been immensely popular, so consider going at an off time, in the morning or during a weekday. The museum cattles people through the exhibit during rush times, and you will not be able to take in the whole exhibit or see the pieces up close. Savage Beauty closes on August 7th. See more of the exhibit on the Met’s blog.