Traces 2018 opens at Palazzo Pitti

The Museum of Costume and Fashion at Palazzo Pitti inaugurated its newest exhibition on July 16, titled Traces 2018 – Guided by Fashion, juxtaposing artworks from the Gallery of Modern Art with clothing and accessories. But the change this year is unlike anything that’s come before: rather than focusing on unique, bespoke pieces, the exhibition highlights ready-to-wear clothing, guided by function and comfort, but never lacking in style.

Curated by Caterina Chiarelli and Simonella Condemi, the exhibition comes on the heels of its predecessor, Traces, opened in December 2017, though Part 2 is arguably more serene than the first, with only a few overlapping motifs and colour schemes in the opening spaces. Each piece is displayed in conjunction with the paintings and sculptures on loan from the neighbouring museum, underlining the similarities and contrasts between these two worlds.

“This is the perfect time to open this exhibition,” said director of the Uffizi Galleries Eike Schmidt, “The theme of travel, adventure, movement is tied to the summer and vacation in our culture. But there’s also a series of initiatives unfolding not far from the Museum of Costume and Fashion, like The Elegance of Speed[…] which highlights the taste for sporty clothing for driving, and the blend between fashion and cars, as well as the exhibition Riding Through Time in the Boboli Gardens, where the horse is shown as another mode of transportation.”

The title leaves no doubt as to the theme and aim of the exhibition. Staged simultaneously with these other shows, the clothing selected for display are clearly functional, pieces that can be used on the road or, perhaps, on the racetrack, moments when the wearer is flying free, carefree, but with one eye always on style and class.