In "Suit Yourself - 100 Years of Men's Fashion," the Rijksmuseum showcases fashion as a reflection of zeitgeist and self-image. Running through decades, the exhibition shows how suits, silhouettes, fabrics and attitudes changed. Old snits and modern cuts stand side by side - each telling their context.
You will see the tailored suit of yesteryear, tight-cut jackets, as well as loose silhouettes and contemporary streetwear. The presentation links fashion to social changes: emancipation, equality, war, work culture. This makes you feel that clothing never stands alone, but moves within society.
In museum setting, the room transforms into catwalk space. Mannequins are set up sculpturally, vistas show pieces in context (newspaper photos, advertisements, portrait photography). Designers such as Gijs Bakker or modern labels are given their place next to historical snits. The whole invites comparison: which silhouette resonates now, which depicts the past?
"Suit Yourself" makes it clear that fashion is not just aesthetics, but a language of self-expression: your body speaks through fabric.
The strength of this exhibition lies in variety and contrast: formal fashion versus informal trends, classic versus radical. Through textures, use of color and style differences, you can see how menswear can also be rebellious. For visitors, it means a visual journey through changes in masculinity - without judgment, with an eye for nuance.