Major Isaac Mizrahi Exhibition Opens in March at The Jewish Museum

The Jewish Museum will present the first museum exhibition focused on Isaac Mizrahi, the influential American fashion designer, artist, and entrepreneur. On view from March 18 to August 7, 2016, this survey exhibition explores Mizrahi's unique position at the intersection of high style and popular culture. While best known for his clothing design, Mizrahi's creativity has expanded over a three decade career, moving beyond fashion to embrace acting, directing, set and costume design, writing, and cabaret performance. Beginning with his first collection in 1987 and running through the present day, Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History weaves together the many threads of Mizrahi's prolific output, juxtaposing work in fashion, film, television, and the performing arts.

Isaac Mizrahi's inventive and provocative style brings complex issues into the arena of fashion, igniting a spirited discourse about high versus low, modern glamour, and contemporary culture. His runway shows were cast with unconventionally beautiful models of all ethnicities, dressed in Star of David belts, Western wear infused handmade lace, Adidas sneakers in place of high heels, handbags worn as hats, or a humble cotton undershirt paired with a floor-length taffeta skirt. Uniting opposites is a Mizrahi signature, which can be seen in his many combinations of evening and sportswear, formal and casual, couture and mass market. Mizrahi's outsized personality, loquacious charm, and innate sense of timing have made him a beloved figure, appearing in living rooms across the country through his numerous film and television cameos, as a judge on Project Runway All-Stars, and on his current show on the QVC network IsaacMizrahiLive!.

Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History will be organized thematically, exploring key trends in Mizrahi's work-from the use of color and prints to his witty designs that touch on issues of race, religion, class, and politics. The core of the exhibition will feature iconic designs from the Isaac Mizrahi New York clothing label (1987-98), the "semi-couture" collections (2003-11), and his trailblazing line for Target (2002-8). It will comprise approximately 50 "looks," including clothing, hats, jewelry, shoes, accessories, and costumes for theater, opera, and the Mark Morris Dance Group. Also on view will be the designer's original drawings and photographer Nick Waplington's behind-the-scenes images of Isaac Mizrahi at work in the studio and on the runway. A specially produced multi-screen video installation will showcase content drawn from runway shows; the award-winning documentary Unzipped;the television program The Isaac Mizrahi Show; scenes from his cabaret, LES MIZrahi; numerous film and television cameos; appearances on Project Runway; andIsaacMizrahiLive!.

Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History is organized by Chee Pearlman, Guest Curator, with Kelly Taxter, Assistant Curator.