exhibit about five years ago but, he says, it was the wrong moment in fashion as the "in look" was soft and ladylike. "We're now returning to an aggressive femininity and the highly sexualized fashion of the 1980s," Bolton said.
Anyone looking for sexy has to go no farther than the Catwoman section of the exhibit. In addition to Michelle Pfeiffer's remarkably slim black catsuit from 1992's "Batman Returns," there are real-world examples of dominatrix-style outfits by Mugler and Dolce & Gabbana.
One of the most stunning couture pieces in the exhibit belongs with mutant creatures such as the X-Men: A rainbow-colored Mugler gown that morphs from a birdlike top to an amphibian's corset and then mermaid hem.
But Superman and Spider-Man have had the strongest influence on mainstream style. In the vignettes dedicated to each, there are not only the costumes that made these characters famous in film, there are clothes that mimic their spirit. For Superman, there is Moschino's M-logo gown with complementary red cape, while there are several spider-web dress silhouettes by Mugler, Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier, Julien Macdonald and Giorgio Armani.
Armani is the sponsor and honorary chair of the exhibit and of the accompanying fundraising gala. He acknowledged through an interpreter at a preview Monday that he was surprised to be involved in an exhibit that veered so far from the wearable fashion he is known for.
It's also a departure for the Costume Institute, which in recent years has highlighted the works of designers Coco Chanel and Paul Poiret, and examined the historical use of animal prints and goddess gowns.
Calling it a "spectacular show," Armani tipped his hat to experimental designers. "I was wondering, 'Are these pieces part of a collection? Did these guys have the guts to show these on the runways?"'
Armani also complimented the works of the cartoonists from the first half of the 20th century, noting that it's their vision of the future that has become the world of today.
"Superheroes" opens Wednesday and runs through Sept. 1.
