Darnell-Jamal Lisby worked as an intern for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in 2018 during the “Heavenly Bodies” exhibition, which instantly went down in fashion history as one of the most beloved (and actually followed) Met Gala themes. In a full circle moment, Lisby — who now serves as the Cleveland Museum of Art’s (CMA) associate curator of fashion — tapped into his research from that time spent as an intern to stage the CMA’s latest exhibit, “Renaissance to Runway: The Enduring Italian Houses.”
Through the lens of more than 100 modern and contemporary Italian fashions and accessories, Lisby dissects how Italian fashion houses continue to look to their nation’s rich heritage as a source of inspiration. These rare garments are presented in dialogue with fine, decorative and textile arts spanning across the 1400s to the early 1600s to highlight the lasting legacy of historical and cultural movements.
Photo: Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
As a gateway to the gallery, key archival pieces (many of which are too delicate to be worn) are brought to life through an immersive AI-generated film produced by Italian director and photographer Francesco Carrozzini. The exhibit opens with an intricate Moschino coat from Spring 1993 depicting Florence’s iconic skyline complete with Brunelleschi’s Duomo on the back, along with the Medici family’s coat of arms lining the front, which Lisby notes was designed to “set the audience in this place, in this imagination of the Italian early modern period.”
The gallery highlights surviving physical and artistic depictions of lace within the CMA’s collection, which contextualize modern examples of the intricate fabric and its floral motifs as seen in a teal silk evening dress by Alessandro Michele-era Valentino and a black-and-gold Alberta Ferretti dress. Lisby examined the period fashions of 1450 to 1630 and visually demonstrated how contemporary designers referenced and exaggerated styles of yore. Case in point: A bright yellow billowing coatdress designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli for Moncler is prominently displayed in the center of the room.
Photo: Shelly Duncan/Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
“I’m a fan of Pierpaolo, and so it’s an honor to have his designs in the show,” Lisby says. “He, as most people know in the industry, loves looking at Italian early modern dress histories, whether it’s the folds and the pleated aspects of doublets and dresses or the long trains that were added to women’s skirts during the 15th and early 16th century.”
When studying portraits of Renaissance-era aristocratic men, a sense of bravado seemingly oozes from the centuries-old paintings. They’re often dripping in ornamental regalia, bulbous silhouettes and awe-inspiring opulence, which coincides with the grandeur seen on some Italian runways. Lisby highlights an impressive distressed denim coat from Glenn Martens’ Diesel, which imitates the appearance of fur and mirrors the sizable bravado of Italian aristocrats.
Photo: Shelly Duncan/Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
“Of course, I talk about the subversion of masculinity,” Lisby shares. “Certainly that’s something that many designers have done, but particularly Italian designers do quite well of subverting the ideas of masculinity in favor [of] contextualizing women’s empowerment.”
And what better way to highlight this concept than through the Met Gala outfit to end all Met Gala outfits: Zendaya’s chainmail-esque Versace gown referencing Joan of Arc for “Heavenly Bodies.” Shining armor often conjures images of sword-wielding knights and glorious masculinity, but Versace softens its interpretation of armor through mesh metal embroidery that cascades down the body without sacrificing its power. It’s a celebration of women around the world, Lisby notes, as it flips traditionally masculine motifs on their head.
Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Photo: Shelly Duncan/Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
Photos: Getty Images; Shelly Duncan/Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
Christianity is largely inextricable from Italian Renaissance art and culture, leading to contemporary designers referencing devotional imagery throughout their work. For example, Alberta Ferretti’s red capes from 2017 parallel cardinal cassocks; Versace’s Spring 2018 motorcycle jacket spotlights a bejeweled Madonna and Child; Blumarine’s white evening gown features angelic wings symbolizing the angel Gabriel.
Through the exhibit, Lisby also explores the influence of Greco-Roman mythology on Italian designers, namely through Medusa’s prominence in Bulgari jewelry and Versace’s house logo. “What Gianni Versace did of subverting that idea and reclaiming [Medusa] as a symbol as almost a beacon to signify to women that they should be able to control their own bodies and have their own sensual and sexual agency and use that as a part of the lexicon of Versace from here on out is so motivational,” he says.
Of course, Lisby doesn’t play favorites. “They’re all my favorite. I picked everything, so it’s hard to choose,” he laughs. But, one glittering piece stands out as his dream archival pull: A gold evening dress embellished with Byzantine-inspired crosses from Versace’s Fall 1997 couture collection. The gown is positioned next to a Renaissance-era processional cross from the CMA’s collection to contextualize Versace’s devotional reference.
Photo: Shelly Duncan/Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
Though fashion is ever-evolving, Italian designers’ conversation between the past and the present remains ongoing as they continue to tap into historical styles. “I put a little semicolon at the end of the show,” Lisby notes. “It’s not complete, but it’s complete for now.”
The “Renaissance to Runway: The Enduring Italian Houses” exhibit is open now through Feb. 1, 2026 exclusively at the CMA. To reserve your tickets, visit here.
Source: Fashionista.com
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