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Costumes, Props, Photography, and Ephemera from Two Powerful Films – Till And Women Talking
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Past Exhibition: Capturing the Catwalk

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If he decides he needs a matching shirt, we've got

Not every designer crafts clothing with jump rings

Not every designer crafts clothing with jump rings and pliers, but if you've ever admired Paco Rabanne's distinctive fashions, then you know this is his legacy.

Rabanne (born Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo, in Spain) took the French fashion scene by storm in 1966. His breakout collection was titled “Manifesto: 12 Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials” and featured chainmail minidresses composed of hundreds of plastic and metal disks linked together. Bolstered by his popular fragrances, and the success of the costumes he designed for #JaneFonda for her starring role in 'Barbarella' (1968), Rabanne was able to experiment and dream futuristic fantasies. Paper combined with multicolored Scotch tape, lacquered aluminum, Velcro, fiberglass, and molded plastic became his playthings.

Rabanne famously said "sewing is slavery." By freeing himself from the norms, he was able to approach archetypes of dress—such as the schoolgirl uniform—in subversive ways. This girlish dress is made from leather pieces of two shapes: tiny denim-blue squares used in the bodice, and long, flaring white strips for the skirt. The armscyes, collar, and jaunty necktie are fashioned from white leather, all joined together with metal rings. Peek-a-boo slits between the joined pieces reveal slivers of torso, which is a far cry from the primness the dress suggests.

The fashion world has lost another visionary. Rest in Peace, Paco.
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Dress by Paco Rabanne, 1966
Gift of Anonymous Donor
81.1966.058.5A-C
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Nothing less than Lesage 🌹 When you need the

It's #NationalGirlsandWomeninSportsDay! 🎾 Toda

It's #NationalGirlsandWomeninSportsDay! 🎾

Today marks the 37th annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day (#NGWSD). This celebration inspires girls and women to play and be active. The confidence, strength and character gained through sports participation are the very tools girls and women need to become strong leaders in sports—and life.

We couldn't think of a more deserving role model than Serena Williams to spotlight on this day, especially since it is also the start of #BlackHistoryMonth. She has dominated women's tennis for decades, gracefully retiring from the sport after competing in the 2022 U.S. Open. Young girls have good reason to look up to Williams, and not only for athletic ability. They can thank her for broadening the public acceptance of different body types in sports—and also for expanding the range of on-court athletic fashions.

In the foreword to our *Sporting Fashion* catalogue, written by Williams, she recounts the controversy her #BlackPanther "T'Challa"-inspired @Nike catsuit provoked at the French Open in 2018. The performance-driven compression bodysuit, designed to help with circulation, upset French officials enough to institute a dress code against similar garments. Williams commented on the transformative capabilities of this athletic attire, noting she felt "empowered wearing it, like a warrior on the court. But beyond that, it served a serious purpose."

We hope Williams' conviction to wear whatever she needed to succeed in the face of opposition will inspire the next generation of feminists in sport!
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Is it really almost February? Time flies when you'

Is it really almost February? Time flies when you're getting ready to unveil one of the FIDM Museum's best Art of Costume Design in Film exhibition to date!

The Academy Awards nominations were announced yesterday, and we're ready to start ticking off the list of inventive films and talented designers that we'll have in our galleries. Here's what you need to know:

🎬 Exhibition dates: March 7 - May 6, 2023
🎥 Exhibition hours: Tues - Sat 10am - 5pm
🍿 Admission: FREE!

We always recommend checking our website and/or social media in advance of your visit for any holiday closures or updates. Paid tours may be arranged in advance; please consult the "Visit" tab on our website to learn more.

Our galleries open to the public the week before the Oscars are televised, but you'll still have plenty of time to visit after the "little gold guys" are bestowed on March 12!

Which costumes are *you* hoping to see this year?
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✳️ Wintergreens ✳️ Here are two recent do

✳️ Wintergreens ✳️

Here are two recent donations: an Issey Miyake resist-dyed (itajime) cotton tank dress, tinged with rich spruce green, and a minty silk jersey Halston shirt dress sheathed in iridescent, clear plastic sequins. Although they are decades apart on the fashion scene, we think they look like they'd be besties IRL! 💚
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Dress by Issey Miyake, Spring/Summer 2020
Gift of Jan Cobert
2022.1830.1

Dress by Halston (Roy Halston Frowick), c. 1972
Gift of Thomas Gambrell
2022.1441.1AB
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Last call: this is the final week to visit @crysta

Last call: this is the final week to visit @crystalbridgesmuseum to see *Fashioning America: From Grit to Glamour*! We were so honored to participate in this thoughtful exhibition, curated by @lovefashionhistory, which provided us a wonderful opportunity to publicly display such diverse pieces from our collection. It was also our privilege to support a narrative of American fashion that bridges cultures, geographies, and centuries, highlighting the inherent tensions in what defines America.

Can't make it to Arkansas? The next best thing can arrive on your doorstep: the exhibition catalogue! We were also delighted by how many #FIDMMuseumTreasures made it into these pages...each little kitty tab marks one of our photos. There are so many tabs that it looks like a sizable litter of kittens!
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#fashionexhibition #fashioninamerica #fashioningamerica #fashionbooks #museumloans #fidmmuseumonthemove #asmr #museumprofessionals #fashionessays #fashionhistorian #20thcfashion #modernfashion #19thcenturyfashion #antiquefashion #antiquecostume #vintagefashion #vintagestyle #americanfashion #theamericanlook #americandesigner #fashiondesigner #fashiondesign #fidmmuseum #fashionhistory #fashionmuseum #fashioncollection #museumcollection #fashion #fashionliveshere

It’s the Year of the Rabbit! 🧧🐇 What bette

It’s the Year of the Rabbit! 🧧🐇 What better way to greet the Chinese New Year than wearing a snuggly fur-lined, embroidered silk satin coat in a festive & auspicious shade of red…hand-made in China in the Art Deco period.
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Evening Coat (China for the export market), 1920s
Gift of Prentiss Durst
2001.174.03
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