Manus x Machina, this season's incandescent Costume Institute exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is, in part, the story of achievements made manifest with equal parts vision, teamwork and dedication to craft.

Presented in a dazzling format by curator Andrew Bolton, the viewer is invited to debate the relative merits of hand work and machine construction - along with the stratospheric cost of couture dressing.  But mostly, this rare opportunity for up-close scrutiny reveals the exceptional outcomes which only a concentrated effort and dedication to shared goals can deliver, palpable in each garment-pleated dress [Issey Miyake,1994], leather appliquéd jacket [Elsa Schiaparelli,1937] or 3-D-printed polymer ensemble [Noa Raviv, 2014].

Whatever our focus in business or in life, the whole is indeed greater when we're committed to the best ambitions, honing individual skills and working in a synergistic manner with our circle of others.

If you're in New York City prior to Aug.15th, don't miss this fascinating tour. Featuring over 170 exquisite samples of wearable art culled from the last two centuries, Manus x Machina spotlights some of the finest and most tangible representations of what published business experts would call 'the pursuit of excellence'.

Photo credit: Leslie Newby © 2016 All Rights Reserved.

Learn more about Manus x Machina here.