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Sleeping beauty... In honor of couturier Pierre B

Sleeping beauty...

In honor of couturier Pierre Balmain’s birthday, here is a delicate chiffon dress laden with the feminine embroidery his house was renowned for. Tiny, faceted white plastic beads and even tinier clusters of glass beads are scattered over the surface of this bright, flamingo pink silk chiffon; also dotting the surface, and trimming the collar, cuffs, and hem, are creamy wrapped-thread rosettes accented with crystals. Prong-set rhinestones and pearly “dog bone” beads were also incorporated into the trim.

The sleeping beauty fairytale continues. Once upon a time, we dressed it on a form for documentary photography purposes...and now it lives happily ever after stored in an archival box, with acid-free tissue. You may ask why we don’t store this piece on a padded hanger, and the answer is a simple matter of physics: gravity! Hanging heavily beaded light-weight fabrics is a recipe for disaster; gossamer fabrics don’t have enough body to support the weight of heavier elements. Over time, damage will occur—guaranteed.

Lesson learned: chiffon and weighty embroidery probably shouldn’t mix, but try telling that to a master of the couture!
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Dress by Pierre Balmain, Spring/Summer 1967
Gift of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
84.1965.058.3
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#pierrebalmain #balmain @Balmain #archivalstorage #conservation #museumprofessionals #museumwork #archives #hautecouture #couture #chiffon #beaded #embroidery #crystals #thinkpink #1960s #60s #1960sfashion #20thcenturyfashion #vintagestyle #vintagefashion #fidmmuseum #fashionhistory #fashionmuseum #fashioncollection #fashion #fashiondesigner #frenchfashion #fashionliveshere #fashionbirthday #otd

Meet Madame Olympe! New on our blog: Curator Kevin

Meet Madame Olympe! New on our blog: Curator Kevin Jones relays the story behind the mysterious, intriguing southern businesswoman who thrived in a world of male-dominated industry, and survived an internal conflict that threatened to tear this country apart...

We are proud to have a spectacular—and exceptionally rare—example by this enigmatic couturière in our collection. Head to our website to read all about her and our dress now, and then, if you're lucky enough to see the pink moiré dress by Madame Olympe on view in the American Wing at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, you’ll know the scoop! Link in bio...
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Reception Gown by Olympe Boisse, ca. 1866-67
Gift of Cathy Gordon
2007.893.1AB
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@metmuseum @metcostumeinstitute #madameolympe #olympeboisse #neworleans #nola #modistes #couturiere #frenchfashion #hautecouture #couture #americanfashion #fidmmuseumblogpost #newblog #newblogpost #museumprofessionals #museumcurators #curator #curatorial #brocadedsilk #fringe #19thcenturyfashion #1860sfashion #1860s #civilwarera #fidmmuseum #fashionhistory #fashionmuseum #fashioncollection #museumcollection #fashion #fashionliveshere

If you’re going to arrive fashionably late to a

If you’re going to arrive fashionably late to a fashion designer’s birthday party, you better make an entrance! Happy Birthday to Stephen Burrows, albeit a day late. We just had to wait until we could accessorize one of his classic, vibrant pieced jersey dresses with a fabulous pair of Christian Lacroix statement earrings—because it’s also Lacroix’s birthday today!

What do you say? Is this a fashion match made in heaven?!
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Maxi-Dress by Stephen Burrows, c. 1974
Gift of Jo Holzman
2006.871.9

Earrings by Christian Lacroix, Fall/Winter 1991-1992
FIDM Museum Purchase
2005.5.82AB
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@stephenburrowsworld @fkachristianlacroix @lacroixofficiel #stephenburrows #christianlacroix #lacroixsweetie #americanfashion #frenchfashion #thebattleofversailles #1970s #70s #1970sfashion #20thcenturyfashion #vintagefashion #vintagestyle #1990s #90s #1990sfashion #runwayfashion #discofashion #accessories #vintageaccessories #maxidress #hautecouture #fidmmuseum #fashionhistory #fashionmuseum #fashioncollection #fashion #fashiondesigner #fashionliveshere #fashionbirthday #otd

Me: “April showers bring May flowers!” My frie

Me: “April showers bring May flowers!”
My friend: “It’s already mid-May.”
Me: “Oh. In that case, we better stop looking up, and start looking down for those flowers...”

Hope everyone is getting out there for a little springtime rain walking & flower gazing!
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Rain Mantles, 1860s
FIDM Museum Purchases
2019.5.54AB
2016.5.10

As featured in our Sporting Fashion: Outdoor Girls 1800 to 1960 catalogue...available for purchase through our website, or wherever you buy your fashion books!
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#rain #rainwalking #aprilshowersbringmayflowers #aprilshowers #thegreatoutdoors #flowers #rainyday #rainmantle #raincoat #1860s #1860sfashion #19thcenturyfashion #oilcloth #exhibitioncatalogue #fashionbooks #outdooractivities #outdoorattire #outerwear #fidmmuseum #fashionhistory #fashioncollection #fashionmuseum #fashion #sportingfashion #outdoorgirls #sportswear #athletics #fashionliveshere

Instead of candles on a birthday cake, let’s hav

Instead of candles on a birthday cake, let’s have a candelabra à la Dalí!

Salvador Dalí was born #otd in 1904, and the world would never be the same. A Surealist to his core, there was little distinction between his artworks and his lifestyle. As an artist, Dalí was occasionally open to working in the commercial world; in the 1930s, he designed textiles for couturiere Elsa Schiaparelli’s equally surreal fashions, and in the 1940s, while living in New York, he supplied striking patterns for dress fabrics to Wesley Simpson, Inc., and for furnishings to Schiffer Prints. Starting in the late 1940s and into the early 1950s, Dalí also dabbled in cravat designs which brought artistic accents to men’s wardrobes. This printed rayon tie features a motif titled ‘Candelabra,’ which is an ornately patterned scroll sprouting feathers and uplifting a flaming candle.

Scroll to the end to read a little newspaper ad from 1950 that sums up Dalí’s “completely crazy” artworks on neckties!
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Necktie designed by Salvador Dali; made by Towncraft Deluxe, c. 1950
Gift of Barry Friedman
2014.1333.218
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#salvadordali #salvadordalí #dali #dalí #surrealism #surrealist #surrealistart #surrealfashion #fidmmuseum #fashionhistory #fashionmuseum #fashioncollection #fashion #fashiondesigner #fashionliveshere #fashionbirthday #1940sfashion #20thcenturyfashion #vintagefashion #1950sfashion #vintagestyle #vintagemenswear #neckties #necktie #vintagenecktie #menswear #cravat #arttowear #artistdesignedtextiles

Pretty, peachy pleats and lavish embroidery make t

Pretty, peachy pleats and lavish embroidery make this Mary McFadden evening gown a sumptuous sight. McFadden is well-known for her choices in textiles which juxtapose textures, and for her columnar silhouettes which maximize her famous “Marii” pleating. This hallmark technique imitates Mariano Fortuny’s early-20th-century pleated silk fabrics, which he based upon ancient Greek and Egyptian pleating. The biggest difference between Fortuny’s and McFadden’s pleats? “Marii” is a synthetic polyester fabric which permanently accepts pleats through a heat-and-pressure process. Her embrace of modern technology had another advantage: McFadden’s garments were ideal for the jet-setting clientele she catered to because they are easy to pack without wrinkling!

McFadden was frequently inspired by the arts and artifacts of world cultures. This gown features a sequin-and-bead encrusted “vest” in pastel tones to complement the puffed gigot sleeves and ankle-length skirt; the embroidered tulip and grape motifs recall decorative motifs found in Ottoman Turkish arts.
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Evening Gown by Mary McFadden, 1980-1990
Gift of Mrs. Dennis Stanfill
2016.658.1
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#marymcfadden #ottomanart #turkishart #inspiration #1980s #80s #1980sfashion #80sfashion #20thcenturyfashion #vintagefashion #eveninggown #tulips #sequins #beaded #embroidery #pleats #pleated #peachy #technotextiles #ancientgreek #marianofortuny #fortunyfashion #fortuny #fidmmuseum #fashionhistory #fashionmuseum #fashioncollection #museumcollection #fashion #fashionliveshere

How would you like to experience a true unboxing w

Long ago, in a GALLERY far, far away... #MayThe4t

Long ago, in a GALLERY far, far away...

#MayThe4thBeWithYou! Flashing back to our special exhibition *Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars* (2005). We partnered with Lucasfilm to premiere the first exhibition ever created to celebrate the art of costume design from all six Star Wars films. This exhibition followed the very successful release of *Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith* and highlighted Trisha Biggar’s costumes from the film.
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@lucasfilm #maythefourth #maythe4th #starwarsday #maythefourthbewithyou #starwars #starwarscostumes #starwarscosplay #revengeofthesith #starwarsfandom #lucasfilmsltd #inagalaxyfarfaraway #sciencefiction #scifi #trishabiggar #artofcostumedesigninfilm #hollywoodcostumedesign #fashionmuseum #museumexhibition #costumedesigner #costumedesign #filmcostumes #costumes #artofcostumedesign
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