Straight to the heart
  Forget roses, forget chocolate! We've got a better gift for you this Valentine's Day--a selection of objects that address the theme of the day, love. Paul Poiret evening gown from La Gazette du Bon Ton 1922, No. 22 FIDM Museum Special... Read Article ››

Mary McFadden
  If you read our recent post on Mariano Fortuny, this dress may look somewhat familiar. Slim, columnar and featuring narrow pleats, this Mary McFadden (b. 1938) dress is reminiscent of Fortuny's iconic Delphos dress. Though both share an obvious... Read Article ››

Diane von Furstenberg, c. 1976
  Diane von Furstenberg's reputation began with one dress, the wrap. Introduced in 1973, von Furstenberg's signature dress is a one-piece wrap style that crosses in the front and ties at the waist. Figure hugging and made of synthetic or silk... Read Article ››

Coats and jackets
Whether you're ready or not, fall is here! Yesterday, September 22, was the official first day of fall in the northern hemisphere. By this time of year, most of us are ready to shed our lightweight summer clothing and are looking forward to wearing... Read Article ››

Sewing patterns from the FIDM Museum
Within the FIDM Museum collection are a number of smaller mini-collections. Some, like the Rudi Gernreich Archive, consist of large groupings of objects that document the work of a specific designer. Others, like our photograph collection, are less focused... Read Article ››

Roberto Cavalli poncho c. 1970
Though Roberto Cavalli's aesthetic is closely associated with flamboyant animal printed textiles crafted into overtly sexy garments, the designer's career actually began with T-shirts. In the late 1960s, Cavalli designed and silk-screened a batch of... Read Article ››

Pantsuit dressing, c. 1972
As described in this recent post on our Sonia Rykiel tunic, women gradually adopted trousers as everyday dress in the 1970s. While the Sonia Rykiel tunic demonstrates a somewhat ambivalent acceptance of trousers, this tan wool pants suit from our Study... Read Article ››

Sybil Connolly
The handling of homespun fabric in a sophisticated manner is the forte of Sybil Connolly.1In 1953, Irish designer Sybil Connolly was "discovered" by a group of American department store buyers and fashion reporters visiting Ireland. Having worked as... Read Article ››

Koos van den Akker
In a Koos van den Akker garment, fabric is always the focal point. Not just a single luxury fabric, but a riotous mix of fabric patches and panels combined into a surprisingly unified whole. According to the designer, his garments always "start with the... Read Article ››

Sonia Rykiel tunic and pants, 1970
The late 1960s controversy over mini, midi and maxi skirt lengths continued into the early 1970s. Though some designers began experimenting with longer skirts, women declared their loyalty to the mini. In 1970, a young Philadelphia woman spoke for many when... Read Article ››

Oscar dressing
In the early years of the Academy Awards, celebrities didn't always dress themselves in the latest glamorous fashions. In 1935, Claudette Colbert wore a simple traveling suit to accept the Best Actress Award for It Happened One Night. Colbert didn't... Read Article ››

Platform boots
Platform boots1972-73Museum Purchase2006.5.3AB With a heel of about 5 1/2" and a platform sole roughly 3 1/2" thick, these dramatic boots are an extreme example of the platform shoes, sandals and boots popular in the first half of the 1970s. Perhaps even more... Read Article ››
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