Skyscraper Style
In the 1920s, America's booming economy sent real estate prices–and buildings–soaring sky-high in crowded cities like New York and Chicago, where land was scarce and there was nowhere to go but up. Towering new edifices of glass and steel rose... Read Article ››

Jeanne Lanvin bonnet, 1913
Jeanne Lanvin 1913 Gift of Joshua & Jenny Livingston 2000.879.39 Like her contemporary Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, Jeanne Lanvin's (1867–1946) career began with hats. As a teenager, Lanvin apprenticed with at least two Parisian milliners,... Read Article ››

Merlot-Larchevêque day ensemble, c. 1867
Day Ensemble c. 1867 Madame Merlot-Larchevêque Museum Purchase 2008.5.45A-C The rise of France's haute couture industry in the mid-nineteenth century coincided with the astounding growth of industrial family fortunes in the United States. Couturiers... Read Article ››

Fashion Birthday: Vivienne Westwood
Happy birthday to Vivienne Westwood, born on this day in 1941! We wish her the best and look forward to many more of her inventive designs. Though Westwood's early career, which began in the early 1970s, was closely associated with punk, by the 1980s she... Read Article ››

Jeanne Lanvin fashion figure
Fashion Figure Winter 1921 Jeanne Lanvin Museum Purchase 2008.25.1 The original purpose of this extremely rare Jeanne Lanvin (1867-1946) fashion figure is a mystery. It may have been associated with an extensive display of figures at the International Silk... Read Article ››

Prada orchid shoes, Spring/Summer 2008
Shoes Spring/Summer 2008 Miuccia Prada Silk velvet, suede, leather & plastic Museum Purchase 2009.5.11AB Miuccia Prada (b. 1949) received a PhD in political science from the University of Milan, but altered the course of her life by entering the world of... Read Article ››

Bat hat, c. 1916-18
What's Halloween without a bat? These small, flying mammals are a favorite Halloween motif, appearing as costumes, decorations, even candy. Though they're generally harmless to humans, western cultures usually consider bats the eeriest of creatures.... Read Article ››

Chanel day dress, c. 1937
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel's (1883-1971) reputation is staked primarily on her exploration of menswear-inspired suits and her promotion of the understated little black dress. Though these creations are an important part of her aesthetic, her... Read Article ››

Girl’s embroidered ensemble, c. 1865
Girl's ensemblec. 1865 Silk faille, cotton embroidery floss & mother-of-pearl Museum Purchase 2010.5.4A-C Pink for girls and blue for boys is a twentieth-century adage; these colors were not always gendered this way. During the nineteenth century,... Read Article ››

FABULOUS! video
FABULOUS! opened one year ago this week! To celebrate, we're taking a look back at the exhibition via a brief video. Short and sweet, it takes you inside the exhibition for a chance to revist your favorite pieces. You'll even see some pieces that have... Read Article ››
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