Norman Norell flower coat
"Flower power" is usually associated with the late 1960s hippie aesthetic, but flowers were actually a popular decorative motif throughout the decade. The early years of the 1960s witnessed a proliferation of stylized and patently artificial floral... Read Article ››

The Little Black Dress
During the nineteenth century, black clothing was usually worn to signify a special status, i.e. mourning, religious piety, extreme poverty or a position of economic and social authority. Because many professional men adopted black suit coats after 1850,... Read Article ››

FIDM Museum Shows Off at Debut
Our post today was written by Meghan Grossman Hansen, FIDM Museum Registrar. Last month the FIDM Museum participated in the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising’s annual Debut fashion show—but calm your fears, there were no models sauntering... Read Article ››

Refashion
As a concept, fashion is based on the appeal of the new. Every season, silhouettes, colors and shapes are re-combined in an effort to create garments of such great appeal that you will replace (or at least supplement) your existing wardrobe. With the... Read Article ››

Balenciaga
Popular conceptions of 1950s dress usually fixate on the defined waist and full skirt of Christian Dior's New Look. Though this silhouette dominated fashion for much of the decade, in 1957 a new shape appeared. Called the sack or chemise, this new dress... Read Article ››

Tailored suit
In the 20th century, the tailored suit became a standard uniform for professional working women. Consisting of a jacket and skirt in matched or closely coordinated fabric, it developed in the late 19th century as an evolution of specialized garments worn for... Read Article ››

Coco Chanel
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883-1971) distinguished her design aesthetic through a strict insistence on comfortable, lightweight garments and a pared-down silhouette. Chanel's interest in simplicity is seen in her earliest millinery designs from... Read Article ››

Floating forms
A well-designed and well-installed museum exhibit appears effortless, as if the objects on display were always meant to be viewed in that exact context. Despite this apparent ease, museum exhibitions require a tremendous amount of long-range planning.... Read Article ››

Catalog giveaway!
We have one signed copy of the High Style: Betsy Bloomingdale and the Haute Couture catalog to giveaway! Who signed the catalog, you ask? None other than the star of the show herself, Betsy Bloomingdale. The catalog is also available for purchase via the FIDM... Read Article ››

The Couture Process
Our current exhibition, High Style: Betsy Bloomingdale and the Haute Couture, explores the world of haute couture through the experiences of Betsy Bloomingdale. To complement the ensembles on exhibition, FIDM Productions created a video documentary featuring... Read Article ››

Preserving the Ann Getty Fashion Collection
Behind every great museum is a great library. The FIDM Museum is fortunate to have access to the FIDM Library, which houses a great collection of design oriented books. Today's post focuses on a preservation project completed by Rachel Clarke, FIDM... Read Article ››
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