Fashion fantasia: in New York City, an exhibit studies wardrobe as weapon; in Los Angeles, a celebration of design mavericks.

Joan of Arc unknowingly accepted the mantle of fashion icon in 1429 when she rode off to war disguised as a man. Her gender-bending spirit lives on in "Love and War: The Weaponized Woman," a new show at New York City's Fashion Institute of Technology, where her influence can be witnessed in works from designers like Dolce & Gabbana and Christian Dior.

With more than 80 pieces on display through December 16, the exhibit highlights the notion of the female warrior and her defiance toward traditional societal roles. Pieces include Issey Miyake's red plastic bustier, Christian Francis Roth's gray "armor" suit made of wool flannel, and Pace Rabanne's silver wedding dress reminiscent of medieval armor.

Valerie Steele, the show's curator, says the pieces "demonstrate a movement away from a passive and sweet-looking femininity."

In Los Angeles, where femininity is never in short supply, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art tackles a broader study of rebellion with "Breaking the Mode: Contemporary Fashion From the Permanent Collection," running until January 7.

With a fantastic array of modern haute couture, the exhibit showcases designers such as Miyake and Jean Paul Gaultier up-ending the conventions of European fashion houses while at the same time referencing such stalwarts' past successes. "You study the masters," points out show cocurator Sharon Takeda, "but you have to find your own voice."