ARTNET DESIGN
by Brook S. Mason



Forget Chippendale and Chelsea porcelain, the extravagant creations of the fashion world are spiking on the Richter scale of museum attendance. The Art Newspaper has compiled its extensive annual list of visitor numbers for 2008 museum exhibitions, and among the top ten shows in the decorative arts category, a stunning five are devoted to, well, luxury brand togs. Top of the heap is the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute’s "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy," last fall’s extravaganza of costumes from Hollywood films as well as from Paris couturiers like Thierry Mugler, notable for his penchant for animalier-like creativity.

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