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Happy New Year from the FIDM Museum! Our blog is on hiatus through early January 2015. In the meantime, enjoy weekly posts from the archives. To keep up with our current projects, find us on Facebook and Twitter, which will be updated regularly.... Read Article ››
From the Archives: Embroidered girl’s ensemble
The FIDM Museum blog will be on hiatus through early January 2015. In the meantime, enjoy weekly posts from the archives. To keep up with our current projects, find us on Facebook and Twitter, which will be updated regularly during... Read Article ››
Givenchy evening jumpsuit, 1968
Evening Jumpsuit Hubert de GivenchyFall/Winter 1968Transfer from The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology97.291.13AB Hubert de Givenchy (b. 1927) learned his craft by training with some of the most illustrious names in 20th-century haute... Read Article ››
Fashion Birthday: Rudi Gernreich
Rudi Gernreich was born on this day in 1922! August 8, 2014 would have been his 92nd birthday. Born in Austria, Gernreich immigrated to the United States in 1938. After settling in Los Angeles, the fledgling designer produced his first collection in... Read Article ››
Embroidered cotton lawn dress, c. 1923
Day dressc. 1923Cotton lawn with machine embroideryGift of Mary Davenport2000.219.2 Made from cool, lightweight cotton lawn, this sleeveless 1920s dress is the perfect spring frock. Like many fashionable 1920s dresses, it is shaped only by minimal... Read Article ››
Celebrate Spring
Spring has officially arrived! March 20 was the first day of the spring in the Northern Hemisphere. From here on out, the weather gradually gets warmer and days are longer. Warm days encourage colorful spring flowers to bloom: cherry blossoms, tulips,... Read Article ››
Embroidered evening wedge shoes, late 1930s
The modern wedge shoe was developed by Italian shoe maker Salvatore Ferragamo (1898-1960) during the 1930s. Starting in the 1920s, Ferragamo designed stylish, trend-setting shoes for Greta Garbo, Paulette Goddard, Claudette Colbert, Clare Boothe Luce,... Read Article ››
Duvelleroy fan-bag, 1890s
Fan-bag 1890s Georges Duvelleroy Museum Purchase 2008.5.28 Luxury fan maker Jean-Pierre Duvelleroy (1802-1889) founded his namesake company in 1827. By the late nineteenth-century, Duvelleroy was the most prestigious éventailliste (fan maker) in... Read Article ››
Oscar de la Renta fur and suede jacket, c. 1981
Oscar de la Renta c. 1981 Transfer from The Museum at The Fashion Institute of Technology 97.291.5 Luxury was a primary theme in 1980s fashion. Exaggerated silhouettes, sumptuous textiles, and lavish embellishment were used to create the feeling of... Read Article ››
Fashion Birthday: Patrick Kelly
Happy birthday to Patrick Kelly, born on September 24, 1954! This button-embellished ensemble is a wonderful example of Kelly's exuberant, playful aesthetic. Using a riot of mismatched buttons, Kelly transformed a simple wool sheath into a... Read Article ››
Fashion Birthday: Elsa Schiaparelli
Happy birthday to Elsa Schiaparelli! Born in Rome on September 10, 1890, Schiaparelli would be 123 years old today. One of the twentieth-century’s most revered fashion designs, her work is admired for its wit and creativity. Schiaparelli’s career in... Read Article ››
Catalina swimsuit, mid-1950s
With its beaches, pools, and nearly year-round sunshine, Southern California was the birthplace of active sportswear. Hollywood's "Dream Factories" showcased silver-screen stars with golden tans wearing dazzling swimwear. This mid-1950s suit... Read Article ››