Which exhibition inspired the 2016 Met Gala theme “Manus x Machina”?

The 2016 Met Gala was inspired by the exhibition Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.

The exhibition examined the relationship between handmade and machine-made fashion. It featured historic and contemporary garments, showing how couture techniques and industrial production can overlap rather than existing as complete opposites.

The exhibition’s title uses Latin words meaning “hand” and “machine.” That distinction shaped the 2016 gala’s official theme, although the event’s red-carpet interpretation was broader than a simple handmade-versus-manufactured comparison.

A common mix-up is confusing this exhibition with the Met’s 2017 Rei Kawakubo exhibition or its 2018 Catholic-fashion exhibition. Those were separate annual presentations with different themes and titles.