Browse Items (27 total)

Known for transforming comfort into luxury, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883-1971) was a revolutionary designer who set a high standard for women’s fashion in the twentieth century. Chanel’s early successes were based on her popularization of a casual,…

This peacock blue dress is from the Liberty department store in London, England. Arthur Lasenby Liberty (1843-1917) began his career in fashion at Farmer and Roger’s, a firm selling cloaks and shawls imported from China and India. The 1862 Great…

The object in question is identified in curatorial records as a “dress of blue silk velvet” purchased by the donor in 1926 or 1927. It was likely made the same year by a yet-undetermined designer, from “an exclusive NewYork [City] dress shop”. It…

Zandra Rhodes (b. 1940) is something of an icon. She has been a part of the fashion world for the past fifty-plus years and has transformed the way people view textile design and printing. Rhodes inspires those who dress a little differently and is…

Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008) launched his prêt-à-porter, or ready to wear collection he titled Rive Gauche in 1966, at the beginning of what was to become a standard practice for fashion designers. This coat is from Saint Laurent’s famous Russian…

Paige Bailey, graduate student in the Master's program of the Dept. of Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design, reached out to Tom and Linda Platt via their facebook page at the beginning of her research on this dress during the Spring 2021…

Pierre Balmain (1914-1982) was one of the most revolutionary designers of his time. His architectural studies and subsequent work for Edward Molyneux and Lucien Lelong shaped him into the designer he became. Balmain created the ‘new French style’…

This sweater vest is royal blue and features a narrow cable down the short center front. The vest is cropped to end at the natural waist. It has a fairly high and wide square neck opening. The tag at the back of the neck identifies the designer…

The dress is believed to have been made between the years 1975 and 1980. McFadden (b. 1938) launched her first collection in 1973 and patented her “Marii” pleating technique two years later. She began Mary McFadden Inc. in 1976, which focused on…

Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949) is a well known Spanish-born artist who built his career in Venice beginning in 1906, finding great popularity during the 1920s and '30s. A Fortuny shop opened in New York City at 509 Madison Avenue in 1928, after interior…