In this blog post, Associate Curator Christina Johnson previews Inspired Eye: The Donald & Joan Damask Design Collection at the FIDM Museum, opening at the FIDM Museum & Galleries on June 12. 

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This exhibition celebrates a donation from Joan Beer Damask and Donald Damask in the summer of 2013. Included in their donation are 75 pieces of avant-garde fashion and world dress; fashion photography by Willy Maywald (1907–85) and Horst P. Horst (1906–99); theatrical designs by Erté (1892–1990); a collection of Cecil Beaton photographs, illustrations, and first editions; and more than 400 limited-edition books.

The Damasks live in Newport Beach, California, and learned of the FIDM Museum from a Fashion Council program that took place on the FIDM Orange County campus. Donald has a background in fashion marketing with Henri Bendel; Joan oversees their company, Damask Knitwear. They were interested in donating their broad design collections to the FIDM Museum because “it was time to share them with other people. We felt that our gift would be treated well, with dignity and respect by the FIDM Museum.”

Here is a sneak peak of a few objects that will be part of the exhibition. If you’d like to see more, you’ll have to visit the museum!

Detail, Illustration
David Croland
c. 1992
SC2013.1250.325

Photograph inscription signed by Horst P. Horst
c. 1995
SC2013.1250.50

Detail, Book Cover
Cecil Beaton
1951
SC2013.1250.153

Detail, Henri Bendel Publicity Portfolio
c. 1992
SC2013.1250.327

Detail, Jacket
Mariano Fortuny
c. 1920
2013.1250.66