The theme of the 1999 Met Gala exhibition exploring fashion’s relationship with rock music was “Rock Style.”
The exhibition examined the visual and cultural links between rock musicians and fashion. Rock performers have often used clothing to construct stage identities, challenge social conventions and influence how audiences understand rebellion, glamour and authenticity.
Its subject was not limited to a single performer or decade. The exhibition treated rock as a force that affected designers, youth culture and the public image of musicians. That made it part of the Costume Institute’s broader tradition of examining fashion alongside popular music and entertainment.
“Rock Style” is easy to confuse with the 2013 exhibition “Punk: Chaos to Couture,” but the titles describe different exhibitions. The latter focused specifically on punk’s influence on couture, while “Rock Style” used a wider rock-music framework.