Jeanne Paquin
Her peers elected her President of the Fashion Section at the famed Exposition Universelle de Paris in 1900.[1] In 1913, she accepted France’s prestigious Legion d’Honneur in recognition of her economic contributions to the country – the first woman... Read Article ››

Mollie Parnis
Mollie Parnis (d. 1992), a mid-twentieth century New York designer who dressed First Ladies and movie stars, once told a reporter, "The last thing I want to talk about is what people are wearing."[1] A curious sentiment for a woman who spent her... Read Article ››

My Funny Valentine
Have you ever panicked over what to buy your Valentine? Women typically receive chocolates, roses, and teddy bears, but what is the classic Valentine’s Day gift for men? Perhaps this pair of silly novelty boxers, complete with an amorous pun and kitschy... Read Article ››

Streamline Moderne
At the end of each year, our team reports on the Museum’s activities from the past twelve months – including what objects have been added to the Permanent Collection. As we compiled our list of 2015 acquisitions, there were a few unforgettable pieces that... Read Article ››

“Fabulous Fashion” Lecture Series
In honor of their current exhibition Fabulous Fashion: Decades of Change: 1890s, 1920s, & 1950s, the Pasadena Museum of History's Textile Arts Council is proud to partner with the curatorial staff of the FIDM Museum to present a... Read Article ››

The Stocking of the Stars
Amateur boxer Willy de Mond in got his start in fashion in New York in the early 1920s, supplying hosiery to the Ziegfeld Follies and other vaudeville revues. He quickly realized that the business attracted a steady stream of repeat customers; actresses often... Read Article ››

From the Archives: Marc Bohan for Dior
Last week's announcement that Raf Simons is leaving Christian Dior reminded us of this 2012 post on Marc Bohan, who designed for the House of Dior for thirty years. Simons is only the fifth designer to hold the position of creative director... Read Article ››

Merry Pranksters
Today, the word "motley" is a synonym for "mixed" or "heterogeneous." In the 14th century, however, it signified a textile or garment of two or more colors, particularly the clothing worn by jesters. The jester's multicolored... Read Article ››

Highland Fever
In 1839, the Gardiner brothers left Glasgow to open The Scotch House, a London warehouse selling all things Scottish. King George IV's well-publicized visit to Edinburgh in 1822 and the subsequent expansion of England's rail network north of the... Read Article ››

The French Flair of Pauline Trigère
Born in Paris to a tailor and a dressmaker, Pauline Trigère (1912-2002) was destined for a career in the fashion industry. Her first job was as a trainee cutter for the haute couture house Martial et Armand in the Place Vendôme. But the rise of... Read Article ››

Lazy Daisies of Summer
A native of Georgia, milliner Archie Eason served in the Coast Guard before becoming a stock boy in the Cohen Brothers department store in Jacksonville, Florida, in the early 1950s. With no formal training or experience, he quickly earned a promotion to the... Read Article ››
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