FIDM Museum Blog

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 near or far. Beginning April 28, see a tuxedo worn by Fred Astaire in Artist/Rebel/Dandy: Men of Fashion at the RISD Museum in Providence, Rhode Island.

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We are always excited to see the FIDM Museum collection travel. Most recently, we sent Fred Astaire's tuxedo to join many other dapper gentlemen in Artist/Rebel/Dandy: Men of Fashion, an exhibition at the RISD Museum (April 28 - August 18, 2013). Featuring more than 200 objects, this exhibit traces the history and persona of the dandy, with a focus on well-known fashionable men.

Fred Astaire was very particular about his wardrobe, with strong preferences about cuffs, jacket length, stripe width, and other minute details. He once claimed that he took each new suit to the tailor "at least half a dozen times."¹ For Artist/Rebel/Dandy, we loaned the RISD Museum a 1930s tuxedo, waistcoat, and bow tie worn by Astaire. The wool crepe tuxedo was made by Anderson & Sheppard Ltd., a Savile Row tailor still in existence today.

Fred Astaire’s tuxedo on exhibit at the RISD Museum, loan courtesy of the FIDM Museum, City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation and Parks (L88.1.31AB). Photograph by Erik Gould, courtesy of the RISD Museum.

 

Research resources, part 3

Inspired by a flurry of recent announcements about new online archives, today we take a look at what's new in the world of fashion and fashion history research resources. Twice before we've published roundups of easily accessible online resources: here and here. Do you have a favorite resource (besides this blog!) that we've missed? Post a comment with a link...you just might help out a fellow researcher.

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We've mentioned MetPublications on our Facebook page, but it's definitely worth mentioning again. Visit this page to read or download many of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibition catalogs, including out of print titles like The Age of Napoleon: Costume from Revolution to Empire, 1789–1815 and Christian Dior.

We recently discovered this online trove of 1867-1900 Harper's Bazar. Browse full issues, or search with specific terms.

The Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection features 500 garments by the designer, with a focus on her work from the 1970s and 1980s. A comprehensive look at Rhodes' work, the site features dates and descriptions for each garment pictured, video interviews with the designer, and design tutorials.

Lee Miller Archives provides access to more than 3,000 watermarked Miller images. Fashion aficionados will be most interested in Miller's fashion photography, though there isn't much accompanying info for most of the photos. This a great 1944 image Miller photographed for British Vogue.

André Studios 1930-1941 is an interesting collaborative project from the Picture Collection of the New York Public Library and the Special Collections & FIT Archives of the Fashion Institute of Technology Library. André Studios was a subscription-based producer of sketches for clothing manufacturers, and the more than 5,000 images in this archive offer a glimpse at fashions from 1930-1941. The archive is searchable by detail (pleat, raglan sleeve, etc.) or garment type.

And because we'd hate to leave you without an image from our collection, here's a detail of our mulberry silk tea gown. This style of loose gown was worn in very specific circumstances—during informal, late afternoon gatherings of close friends. Cascading wisteria vines decorate this garment, highlighting the Western affinity for Japanese design in the 1880s.

Tea gown (back detail)
c. 1887-89
Museum Purchase
2007.5.22

Behind the Scenes: Photographing objects at the FIDM Museum

One of our goals in starting this blog was to reveal the aspects of museum life that are usually out of public view. With that in mind, we've brought you posts on exhibition design, mount making, creating paper wigs, and behind-the-scenes research projects. Today, we're thrilled to feature an interview with FIDM Museum photographer, Brian Sanderson. Many of the object photographs seen on our blog, and all photos seen in FIDM Museum publications, are taken by Brian. His photos bring our objects to life, highlighting their most compelling visual qualities. Keep reading to find out what interested Brian about working with our collection, and which objects are most difficult to photograph.

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How long have you been working with the FIDM Museum?

About 5 years, though I’ve been photographing for FIDM Publications for about 15 years.

Did you have a background or interest in fashion or fashion history before you started working with the FIDM Museum?

No. In fact, originally my interest in photography really came from the fine art realm. I loved the work of Robert Rauschenberg, Cindy Sherman, John Baldessari, and Francesca Woodman. In the 80s I started shooting my own images in order to incorporate them into conceptually based prints and drawings. In the late 90s I started exploring more documentary-type photography, and in mid-2000 I ventured into digital photography and fashion studio work. When I approached Kevin about photographing for the museum I was intrigued about having the opportunity to explore light on three-dimensional forms.

And how is working with static objects different from the other types of photography that you’ve explored?

I am part of a creative team that can make immediate decisions to change how the camera will capture its subject. We can be precise and exacting. There’s no living subject to move or tire; no light starting to disappear. That level of control is very freeing.

How does control free up the creative process?

To start, Kevin and Christina position the object to be photographed. Kevin usually weaves a fanciful, historically based story for me about who wore the outfit and the setting in which the person lived. Next, I ask Kevin and Christina what is important about the outfit. Is it the silhouette? The detail? The construction? A certain feature(s)? Once I hear the story and know what is important about the outfit, then the fun starts. I try to pre-visualize what quality light is needed to capture both the mood and the object. I set the lights; take a few shots; preview them on the camera; readjust the lights. At this point everything is about trying to capture what I have pre-visualized will be the best solution.

I must admit, I’m very private about this creative activity. This is my creative time. I don’t even let Kevin and Christina preview these early shots. Once I feel that I’ve captured what I intended, I transfer the images to a computer and the three of us review them. At this point the images become the basis of our conversation. The images are scrutinized down to the minutest detail. Sometimes adjustments are made accordingly: lights are moved slightly/pinpointed more exactly, the underneath padding is fluffed and/or the position of the object itself is tweaked a bit. It’s during those discussions that I truly feel a part of a highly creative team. It’s a very personally rewarding process.

When we photographed this Vionnet evening gown for the FABULOUS! catalogue, Kevin spun a tale about a chic evening party on the Upper West Side. We photographed the mannequin from several angles to capture the glamour of the gown. In the view below, she's standing on an outside terrace, poised to turn and reenter the party.

Evening gown
Madeleine Vionnet
c. 1936-1938
Museum Purchase, Funds provided by Mrs. Tonian Hohberg
2008.5.50AB

Making paper wigs

When dressing a mannequin for exhibition, it's important not to overlook the details. Careful attention to the total look makes an ensemble, and an exhibition, complete. Fully dressed mannequins also help visitors better understand the time-period on display. Once we've selected a garment for inclusion in an exhibition, we consider accessories. Is jewelry appropriate? Should she carry a handbag? What about shoes? And most importantly...what about hair?

Curly hair c. 1895 topped with a straw boater. The waves were created by cutting paper on curved lines. To keep the curls from appearing limp, individual strands of hair were curled with a pencil

Behind the Scenes: Collection inventory

 

Getting organized is a great way to usher in a new year. With everything in its place, new projects are easy to plan and efficient to manage. In preparation for 2013, FIDM Museum Collections Manager and Assistant Registrar Danielle Killam spent several weeks in late 2012 inventorying our collection, and refining its organization. In today's post, Dani takes us through this process.

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There is never a lack of tasks to accomplish in our office here at the FIDM Museum & Galleries. However, Museum Registrar Meghan Hansen and I recently began a large-scale inventory project on top of our everyday duties. Are we crazy? Maybe. But we were definitely happy to add this project to our to-do list.

New objects are constantly being acquired into our collection. To make room for new acquisitions, we often need to shift the existing storage configuration. To ensure that we can quickly locate a specific evening gown or pair of shoes, we have set out to verify the location and existence of every single accessioned object in the FIDM Museum collection. Daunting? Yes, but oh-so satisfying. Being in storage is truly my happy place.

When Curator Kevin Jones and Associate Curator Christina Johnson departed for Italy in November, I got to work. I armed myself with the necessary tools needed to safely handle and organize objects as I moved through each section of storage.

Swiffer wipes, box labels, and pencils/paper for non-stop list making.

Out & About: FIDM Museum at the Costume Colloquium III

Curator Kevin Jones and Associate Curator Christina Johnson recently returned from a conference in Florence, Italy. In today's post, Christina recounts their trip, including museum visits, and highlights from her presentation.

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Kevin and I traveled to Florence, Italy, last month for Costume Colloquium III. My paper, “Doris Langley Moore: Ultimate ‘Woman in Fashion’” had been accepted to the bi-annual colloquium. Every other year, the organizers of the Costume Colloquium select a thematic focus and solicit research on the topic; this year’s theme was ‘Past Dress Future Fashion.'

Christina by the Arno River.

I was honored to participate, and so excited to present some of my new research on Doris Langley Moore, a remarkable British woman who was one of the most important costume historians and dealers of the 20^th century. I have been fascinated by her for years; I discovered her 1949 book on the history of fashion, The Woman in Fashion, in high school.

Cover, The Woman in Fashion. This visual exploration of fashion history was published in 1949.

Event Recap: Monarchy Lecture & Royal Tea

FIDM Museum’s Fashion Council wrapped up their 2012 event season with the Monarchy Lecture & Royal Tea on Saturday, December 1. At this sold-out event, 75 Fashion Council members and friends gathered at FIDM’s Orange County campus to enjoy a Royal Tea, and learn more about British royal dress from The Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection.

Monarchy Lecture at FIDM Orange County

The Costume Cafe Podcast

Want to learn more about The Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection? You're in luck! The Costume Cafe's Colleen Marie Monroe recently interviewed FIDM Museum Curator Kevin Jones about this outstanding collection. Their conversation covered a range of topics, including the origins of Helen Larson's collection, her collecting methodology and a discussion of collection highlights. You can listen to their conversation via The Costume Cafe's podcast page. Hope you enjoy this look into The Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection!

Out & About: FIDM Museum at The Making of a Monarchy for the Modern World conference

 

 

What a busy summer! In early June, we attended the Costume Society of America symposium, which Kevin described in his recent blog post. Immediately after the conference, Kevin and Christina (our curator and associate curator, respectively) flew to London to present research at another conference, The Making of a Monarchy for a Modern World. In today's blog post, Christina takes us to London with a lively, illustrated overview of their trip, including conference details, and museum exhibitions visited. Thanks Christina! We can't wait to hear about your experiences at the upcoming Costume Colloquium in Florence, Italy.

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Kevin Jones and I flew to London after participating in the Costume Society of America’s Annual Symposium in Atlanta, Georgia. We arrived on June 4—right in the middle of the Diamond Jubilee festivities!

 

Investigating a Silver Studio textile

 

In 2007, the Textile Group of Los Angeles donated a late 19th century Silver Studio textile panel to the FIDM Museum. About 7 feet long and 2 ½ feet wide, this printed cotton textile features a dynamic pattern of orange poppies and white daisy chains on a pink ground. As our curators were familiar with the Silver Studio, they were certain that the textile had been used to decorate an interior, not for garment construction. Silver Studio
1897
Gift of the Textile Group of Los Angeles
2007.916.1