A little over six months ago, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week made the move from its longtime home at Bryant Park to New York’s gleaming hub of art and culture, Lincoln Center, a move which raised both questions and eyebrows. The question at the center of this controversial change of address is: Should fashion be considered art?

For years, centuries even, fashion has been seen as a purely practical, commercial and, yes narcissistic, endeavor by society en-masse. At times, even the designers themselves do not label themselves as artists. A particularly disenchanting moment comes to mind for me: I was a fresh-out-of-college fashion writer for an online magazine covering Fashion Week. One assignment led me backstage at a highly anticipated show. As I weaved my way through the racks of stunning clothing and the statuesque models getting primped to hit the runway, I caught eyes with the designer. Summoning all my courage I headed in his direction and before I knew it a small voice that sounded something like mine was asking for an interview. The designer graciously obliged and I launched into a series of questions about his new collection. Thanking him for his time, I told him I appreciated the artistry of his work. He smiled at me, as if smiling at a young child who will someday understand life and said, “Fashion is business, not art.”

All respect to the designer, I disagree. The level of diligence, skill and creative vision required to construct an innovative, cohesive collection can certainly be described as an art form. To prove my point, witness Exhibit A: The His and Hers exhibition at the Museum at FIT.

This collection of 70 garments examines the role that gender has played in fashion around the world since the 1700s. By placing “male” and “female” garments  side by side, the exhibit explores the illusion of gender and the way designers bend those illusions to fulfill their creative vision. Featuring everything from the practical French court suits from the 1750s to the playful smoking jacket for women from Yves St. Laurent’s 1982 collection, this display highlights the cultural significance we place upon what it means to be a “man” or “woman” through what we wear. Reminiscent of the recent American Woman exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, these clothes also showcase the transformation of femininity. The stark contrast between the puffy shoulders and hoop skirts of turn-of-the-century England and Moshino’s 1994 evening dress with a skirt made completely out of bras begs us to question our ideas about what it is to be a woman and how they have vastly changed in less than a century.

Is fashion a form of social commentary? Absolutely. Is fashion art? I think so. Others don’t. I suppose the real answer lies in the eye of the beholder. So, head to the (always FREE!) Museum at FIT on 27th Street and 7th Avenue and decide for yourself.