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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 ››
Spotted: Elegance in Black and White
This chic mid-century ensemble is typical of the elegant but wearable clothes designed by Adele Simpson (1904-1995). The youngest of five sisters, Simpson landed her first Seventh Avenue job at the age of 17. By 21, she was one of the best-paid... Read Article ››
Fashion Birthday: Issey Miyake
Happy 76th birthday to Issey Miyake, born on April 22, 1938! In celebration of the designer's birthday, we offer this provocative Issey Miyake orange and white ensemble. Suit Spring/Summer 2001 Issey Miyake Museum Purchase 2003.5.7AB Issey Miyake... Read Article ››
From the Archives: Vivienne Westwood suit
Happy birthday to Dame Vivienne Westwood! Born on April 8, 1941, Westwood's career has spanned generations of fashion, from 1970s punk to her more recent interest in historicism. Today we salute her work by taking a close look at a plaid wool suit... Read Article ››
Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga, Fall 2008
Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga Fall 2008 Gift of Mrs. Alfred Bloomingdale 2012.116.4AB Cristobal Balenciaga was such a giant in the world of haute couture, it's no surprise that his namesake house went into decline after his retirement in 1968. For... Read Article ››
Out & About: Fred Astaire’s tuxedo on exhibit at the RISD Museum
In today's post, FIDM Museum Registrar Meghan Grossman Hansen describes the process of preparing objects for transport to exhibitions at other institutions. FIDM Museum has an active loan program, and we often have 1 or more objects on exhibit at museums... Read Article ››
Norma Kamali fringe suit, 1986
SuitNorma Kamali1986Gift of Liz Mazurski2012.1142.71AB Norma Kamali's fringed two-piece suit is a challenging, slightly eccentric, take on 1980s power dressing. During the 1980s, bland, tailored skirt suits defined women's professional dress.... Read Article ››
Gianni Versace leather suit, 1994
Schoolgirl chic with a naughty edge was a strong theme throughout Gianni Versace’s Autumn/Winter 1994-95 collection. Statuesque supermodels Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and Nadja Auermann walked the runway clad in shiny,... Read Article ››
Adrian resists the New Look
In 1948, when the fashion world was atwitter with talk of Christian Dior's New Look, renowned American designer Adrian took fashion lovers to task for their over reliance on the dictates of Paris. Though the New Look had already created a radical break... Read Article ››
Virevolte suit, Christian Dior, Autumn/Winter 1955
One of the most celebrated figures in the history of fashion, Christian Dior's reputation was founded on the New Look. Introduced in 1947, the New Look silhouette presented an idealized vision of the female body: soft, sloped shoulders and defined... Read Article ››
Thierry Mugler suit, 1998
Thierry Mugler S/S 1998 Ready-to-wear Museum Purchase 2005.5.22AB The work of Thierry Mugler is noted for its theatricality and an emphasis on exaggerated, aggressive femininity. Mugler began his career as a freelance designer in the early 1970s; by... 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 ››