Gap’s New Collection of Tees Commemorates The American Woman Exhibit

Tonight the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is honoring “The American Woman” with a gala event deemed the “Oscars of the East Coast”.  Sorry, that’s an oxymoron.  The Oscars are straight outta Los Angeles, and the East Coast does not figure in! 🙂  I’m here on the left coast watching the live blog stream from New York via Twitter and NY Magazine’s The Cut Blog. Click here to watch the fashions. Although the red carpet is full of haute couture styles by Chanel ( Anna Wintour), Oscar de la Renta (Oprah), Burberry (Claire Danes) and Calvin Klein (Diane Kruger), there are some lower-priced fashions inspired by the exhibit,  “The American Women.”  Frugal fashion provider Gap is the sponsor of the new exhibit, “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity.” To celebrate,   Gap has designed a limited collection of tees that are based upon the fundamental archetypes of the American Woman.

Tees in the collection are aptly titled the “Heiress” and the “Gibson Girl” (1890s), the “Bohemian” (early 1900s), the “Suffragist” and “Patriot” (1910s), the “Flappers” (1920s) and the “Screen Siren” (1930s). While some of the Tees look pretty ordinary (look at the Gibson Girl, and wonder, why?) , there are two I like.  Check out the white “Flapper Tee” with the little ruffles and the super sexy, “Screen Siren” (think Carol Lombard). The tees retail for $34.50 and $44.50.

In addition to the Tees, Gap head designer Designer Patrick Robinson has teamed up with young designers Alexander Wang, Rodarte, Thakoon and Sophie Theallet to design gowns to be worn by celebrities attending the gala.  After the gala, these gowns will be auctioned off with proceeds going towards The Costume Institute.  Starting May 5, 2010 and through the entire month of May, Gap’s pop-up shop at 680 Fifth Avenue at 54th Street in New York City will be transformed into a salon displaying the dresses designed by Alexander Wang,  Rodarte, Sophie Theallet and Thakoon. Open to the public, the display will offer a firsthand look into some of the Met Gala’s red carpet couture. Additionally, a silent auction of the dresses will be offered at www.gap.com/gownauction, with all proceeds being donated by Gap to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in support of The Costume Institute. Bidders can log on to see each dress take shape from sketch to reality while learning more about the designers and their inspirations for each piece.  If you are in New York, and you see the dresses, drop a comment, and let me know how they look.  I wish I was there to see it!