New Acquisitions
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Hip hop emerged in a hazardous social environment defined for many by discrimination,
poverty, and crime. A devotion to Ralph Lauren—a Jewish kid from the Bronx who built
his own vision of the American Dream through his brand—celebrated self-made success.
Sometimes, however, success involved danger: this ski jacket is nicknamed the "Suicide
Skier" because it was so coveted that wearing it on the street attracted violent criminals.
This jacket was on view in the 2023 exhibition Fresh, Fly, and Fabulous: Fifty Years of Hip Hop Style.
The origami-like sleeves and fabric of this Dior Boutique dress mirrored the brand’s fall 2003 runway collection, presented by John Galliano. Inspired by a trip to China and Japan, Galliano described the designs as "a conflation of both cultures … a fantasy." Twenty years later, such "fantasies" of global fashion are often viewed more critically.
This evening set was on view in the 2024 exhibition Statement Sleeves.
Johanna Ortiz is one of Colombia's most globally recognized fashion designers. She deliberately chose to base her brand in Cali, Colombia rather than in Paris or New York because she appreciates the talent of her country's seamstresses and artisans, and wishes to remain close to her people. The Balmy evening dress, with its natural cotton fabric, combination of textures, and tropical motifs was fully made by Colombian hands in Cali. The hand-woven and appliqued raffia embellishments celebrate Latin-American craftsmanship. The raffia threads were applied by in-house embroidery artisans using traditional basketry techniques. The palm motif, which highlights the natural tropical wonders of the region, has become a signature decorative element of Johanna Ortiz.
This dress was on view in the 2023 exhibition ¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today
One of the most beloved fashion designers today is Anna Sui. Working under her eponymous label, she has retained and honed her sophisticated reimagining of historic textiles and vintage clothing for her entire four-decades long career.
This ensemble was on view in the 2020-23 exhibition Designing Women: Fashion Creators and Their Interiors
Below are the types of objects in the collections of The Museum at FIT.
The accessories collection consists of approximately 15,000 objects that date from the mid-17th century to the present day. The collection has a particularly strong emphasis on designer accessories from the second half of the 20th century.
The accessories collection is supported by the Solomon-Sloan Endowment Fund, which was established in 2005 to facilitate the acquisition, conservation, documentation and exhibition of accessories.
- The footwear collection contains more than 4,000 pairs of shoes, boots and sandals. It includes examples by designers such as Manolo Blahnik, Roger Vivier, Herbert Levine, and Salvatore Ferragamo.
- The millinery collection contains more than 3,000 hats by famous milliners such as Caroline Reboux, Lilly Daché, Halston and Philip Treacy. There are also many examples from designers such as Christian Dior, Balenciaga and Jacques Fath.
- <The handbag collection includes fine examples by luxury houses such as Hermés and Gucci as well as examples by Roberta di Camerino, Judith Leiber and Bonnie Cashin for Coach.
- Other accessories include fans, gloves, belts, hosiery and costume jewelry.
The Costume Collection consists of more than 50,000 objects dating from the mid-18th century to the present. The strength of the collection lies in its 20th-century holdings and, particularly, in couture and ready-to-wear women's clothing. The collections are currently being computerized to facilitate research.
- The costume collection includes fashion by designers such as Azzedine Alaïa, Balenciaga, Chanel, Comme des Garçons, Dior, Galanos, Halston, Charles James, Norell, Paul Poiret, Yves Saint Laurent, and Vivienne Westwood.
- The Halston Archives and Study Room hold designs, patterns, and related records documenting this important designer's life work.
- The menswear collection features some 2,000 garments ranging from formal to activewear, including suits, coats, vests, and uniforms.
- Also included are swimwear, lingerie, outerwear, and knitwear.
The Textile Collection consists of more than 30,000 textiles dating from the fifth century to the present, and includes the work of artists and designers such as Junichi Arai, Salvador Dali, Raoul Dufy, and William Morris.
- The textile collection includes apparel and home furnishing fabrics, embroideries, and shawls.
- The collection also includes a number of ribbon sample books.
- The J.B. Martin Velvet Room archives handwoven and production velvets spanning a 125-year period.
The Photography Archive features the work of fashion photographers Louise-Dahl Wolfe (1895-1989), who produced 86 cover images and thousands of interior shots for Harper’s Bazaar magazine, and John Rawlings (1912-1970), who had more than 200 Vogue and Glamour magazine covers.
Image: Louise Dahl-Wolfe photograph of model Sandra Payson. Featured in Harper’s Bazaar, March 1947, page 205, gift of Louise Dahl-Wolfe, 74.84.54
For those looking for the Herman Landshoff collection, the archive has been transferred
to:
Munchner Stadtmuseum
Sammlungsleiter Fotomuseum
St.-Jakobs-Pl. 1
80331 Munchen
The contact for the collection is:
Dr. Ulrich Pohlmann
Tel.: 089/233-22948
Fax.: 089/233-27969
email.: ulrich.pohlmann@muenchen.de