FIDM Museum Blog

FIDM Museum Coloring Book

Time to break out your box of Crayolas - today we're sharing our very first FIDM Museum Coloring Book! Perfect for kids of all ages (including adults who are kids at heart), the book features ten objects from the FIDM Museum collection ready for your artistic prowess. Each garment, accessory, and textile are accompanied by a fun fact and reference photo - but don't let that stop you from experimenting with your own creative interpretation!

Click here to download, and remember to share your creations with us on social media using the hashtag #FIDMMuseumFamily. Happy coloring!

 

 

FIDM Museum Family Activity Book

We are so pleased to release the first set of FIDM Museum Family Activities, our newest resource for children of all ages! These activity sheets encourage kids to observe and interact with objects in our collection, and provide opportunities to ask questions and get creative; it’s a chance to ‘be the curator’ of the FIDM Museum. We look forward to adding to this booklet every week, including coloring pages and craft projects. Collect them all to assemble your very own fashion publication. 

We are excited to see what you create - please share your masterpieces with us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using the hashtag #FIDMMuseumFamily! Check back in weekly right here on the FIDM Museum blog, where the latest activities will be available for download, and follow us on social media for more updates.

Click here to download the FIDM Museum Activity Book 1st Edition.  

 

 

FIDM Museum Digital Resources

In the days ahead, all of us at the FIDM Museum understand how important it will be to find connection virtually with your favorite cultural institutions. We are happy to provide several ways to interact digitally with our Museum; in addition to the resources listed below, we are excited to announce that our website and blog are undergoing a full redesign, and will launch later this year with a fresh new look. In the meantime, we invite you to join us online:

 

Start your journey right here on the FIDM Museum Blog, which launched in 2009- a forerunner in the Museum blog space! It is an essential part of our mission to share the FIDM Museum collection with the world, and the blog is the perfect medium to provide in-depth research about our 15,000+ objects. We also feature exhibition photos, costume designer interviews, event recaps, intern reports, and designer profiles; after 11 years of posts, we've covered extensive ground, making this the perfect place to dive into a research project.

 

The FIDM Museum is proud to be part of the Google Arts & Culture 'We Wear Culture' initiative, which includes digital collections from 180 fashion institutions around the world. This rich and comprehensive resource has 360 tours of our gallery spaces, online exhibitions, and photo albums of objects organized by category - including examples from the Michel Arnaud Fashion Photography Archive.

 

The FIDM Museum Online Collections is a digitized database where you can find object images and relevant information such as date, designer, and material. The database is divided into nine sections: Permanent Collection, Study Collection, Rudi Gernreich Archive, Versace Menswear Archive, Textile Collection, Jewelry Collection, Hollywood Costume Collection, Fragrance Collection, and Special Collections. For detailed instructions on utilizing this resource, visit this introductory post as well as our Frequently Asked Questions. The database represents only a portion of our total collection, but we are continuously adding to it - make sure to check back frequently! 

 

Of course you can follow the FIDM Museum on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for up-to-date engaging content - exhibition tours, event announcements, detailed object photos, and so much more. We are particularly proud of our Unboxing Series, available to watch on Instagram Highlights. Each week, a FIDM Museum team member takes you behind-the-scenes of our storage to 'unbox' and explain an object, giving exclusive insight and access to the collection. Now at 50+ episodes, why not start with the first and catch up? 

 

Perhaps you're looking to settle in with more traditional media - we've got you covered there too! Curators Kevin Jones and Christina Johnson have authored two exhibition catalogues (with another on the way this year), both available via the FIDM Museum Shop. FABULOUS! Ten Years of FIDM Museum Acquisitions, 2000 - 2010 covers an extraordinary decade of collecting for our institution. This lavish book presents a selection of these acquisitions organized chronologically, representing over 200 years of fashionable men's, women's, and children's attire. High Style: Betsy Bloomingdale and the Haute Couture celebrates the wardrobe of Betsy Bloomingdale, a FIDM Museum founding donor and International Best Dressed Hall of Fame icon. The catalogue features haute couture ensembles by designers such as Marc Bohan, Hubert de Givenchy, and Yves Saint Laurent, as well as fashion sketches and contemporary photographs. Bonus: watch The Couture Process, an excerpt from the accompanying High Style documentary! 

 

However you decide to connect to the FIDM Museum, know that our team is here to share our collection and remain your trusted source for the study of fashion: past, present, and future. 

 

FABULOUS! exhibition at the FIDM Museum, 2011

 

 

FIDM Museum Now Closed

Dear FIDM Museum Community,

 

Due to COVID-19 concerns, the Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition is now closed, as is the FIDM Orange County Campus gallery. The health and safety of our visitors is our priority; this decision was made in adherence to guidelines provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. We look forward to welcoming our guests back to the galleries in May 2020 for the upcoming exhibition Sporting Fashion: Outdoor Girls 1800 to 1960. 

 

You can always visit us online via our digitized collections, Google Arts & Culture platform, and here on the FIDM Museum Blog. We invite you to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for additional content.

 

We truly appreciate your understanding, and we send our best wishes for your health and safety.

 

The FIDM Museum Team 

Fashion Council Royal Tea

Mark your calendar for Friday, March 6: it's time for the FIDM Museum Fashion Council's annual Royal Tea! Held outside in an elegant tent, the afternoon is a chance to meet new friends who share a love fashion history, enjoy a delicious and proper English tea, and experience the hallmark FIDM Museum exhibition The Art of Motion Picture Costume Design. You'll hear from Museum Coordinator and textile expert Leigh Wishner, who will discuss a fascinating 1940s dress in our collection (keep reading for a detailed description of her presentation), followed by a private tour of our film costume exhibition. The Art of Motion Picture Costume Design features over 100 ensembles from 30 films, including all five Academy Award nominees for Best Costume Design and this year's winner, Little Women by Jacqueline Durran. 

See the invitation below for more information; to purchase a ticket, click here. All proceeds are tax-deductible and support the FIDM Museum acquisition fund. 

 

“There’ll Always Be An England” in Los Angeles: Contextualizing a 1941 British American Ambulance Corps-Print Dress in the FIDM Museum Collection

Leigh Wishner, FIDM Museum Coordinator 

“There’ll Always Be an England” might not sound like patriotic American sloganeering, but in 1941, the American fashion industry pressed these words into fashionable service. The FIDM Museum at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising preserves a rare dress made from a textile that employs “mirror-writing” and lyrically references the above-quoted popular British song title. The printed rayon, one in a remarkable series, was manufactured by the New York firm Roth-Getzoff & Co. under the auspices of the British-American Ambulance Corps, which primarily raised funds to purchase ambulances for British armed forces engaged in World War II. In the case of the “B.A.A.C Print” textiles, and fashions made from them, ten percent of proceeds were donated to this charitable organization. Diverse yet coherent, the series concentrated on flora and fauna native to—or emblematic of—Britain; scrolled or abstracted letters spelling “B.A.A.C.”; militaristic and monarchic motifs; and assorted patterns created to appeal to fashion-conscious consumers. 

Using the FIDM Museum’s dress as a tangible representation of a superlative moment in American fashion history, this presentation focuses on the B.A.A.C.’s collaboration with the Roth-Getzoff textile company and the fashion promotions centered on this fundraising project. By grounding the B.A.A.C. fabrics in a historical context, a critical evaluation of “novelty” fabrics is possible, proving topical designs could—and did—carry serious messages. 

 

The ‘Amphitrite’ Fan

Today's post is an in-depth look at a very special new acquisition, written by French scholar Georgina Letourmy-Bordier. Letourmy-Bordier holds a PhD in French History of Art, specializing in Fans. She has organized several exhibitions dedicated to this object, and regularly has articles relating to fan research published. She is currently a fan specialist for several French auction houses, mostly in Paris.

Translated from French by Mary Kitson, Secretary of the Fan Circle International 

************************************************************************************

The ‘Amphitrite’ Fan: A Masterpiece in the FIDM Museum Collection

Most antique fans still in existence today have lost their history. Their origins, their context, and the various stages of their making escape us. There is one principle reason for this. Since their introduction into Europe in the 16^th century, fans have generally been made anonymously – there are only rare exceptions to this.  There are no signatures on the leaves or on the montures.  It wasn’t until the second half of the 19^th century that painters began to sign their work. When the sticks are signed, which is very rare, it is a sign that the work is of exceptional quality.

Amphitrite Fan, c. 1889
Gustave Lasellaz (painter); Jules Vaillant (sculptor); Adrien Rodien (maker) 
Hand-painted paper, linen lace, mother-of-pearl, metal, wood & paperboard
FIDM Museum Purchase: Funds donated by Martha Nesseth and Mona Lee Nesseth
2019.5.9AB

This lack of knowledge is regrettable when the objects are of high quality, like the fan generously given to the FIDM Museum by Mona Lee Nesseth. However, and very fortunately, ‘Amphitrite’ has three signatures: of the painter, Gustave Lasellaz; of the sculptor, Jules Vaillant; and of the fan maker, Adrien Rodien.

Fan reverse

Very probably conceived in the final years of the 19^th century, this fan is notable for its size and for the extraordinary wealth of its decoration, a testament to the incredible knowledge of the Parisian fan makers (éventaillistes).

The Artists of This Masterpiece

Guard detail by sculptor Jules Vaillant

Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Now Open

Beloved classic, haunting origin story, historical satire, epic mob saga, and Hollywood nostalgia: this year's Academy Award nominees for Best Costume Design span the gamut of film genres. One thing they all have in common is a unique aesthetic created by the masterful designers featured in the FIDM Museum's Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition. Oscar nominees Jacqueline Durran (Little Women), Mark Bridges (Joker), Mayes C. Rubeo (JoJo Rabbit), Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson (The Irishman), and Arianne Phillips (Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood) are among the many designers showcased in this annual exhibition, which includes over 100 costumes from 30 films. As always, we've brought back last year's Academy Award winning costumes: Black Panther, designed by Ruth Carter - shown alongside her Oscar statuette! 

On February 1, industry professionals and Museum colleagues gathered for the exhibition's opening night reception. From veterans such as Michael Kaplan (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) - recipient of the Costume Designers Guild Career Achievement Award - to newcomers like Mitchell Travers (Late Night and Hustlers), the night was a celebration of the costume design community. Read on for a behind-the-scenes look at the festivities, and make sure to schedule your visit to the exhibition sooner rather than later; it closes after a six-week run on March 21!

A dramatic entrance featuring Queen Ramonda's costume from Black Panther, designed by Ruth Carter

A dazzling array of costumes great visitors in the first gallery

Cate Adair, Vice President of the Costume Designers Guild, Mitchell Travers, costume designer for Hustlers and Late Night, Salvador Perez, President of the Costume Designers Guild, and costume designer Ann Foley

FIDM Museum Coordinator Leigh Wishner with Curator Kevin Jones

Betsy Bloomingdale and the Battle of Versailles

In the mid-20th century, the splendor of the Palace of Versailles, former home to France’s kings, queens, and emperors, had drastically faded. The palace was in extreme disrepair, facing millions of dollars worth of renovations to restore it to its former glory. Cut to 1973: Versailles Chief Curator Gerald Van der Kemp and his wife Florence happened to be on holiday with fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, a consummate advocate for American design. The three hatched an idea for a benefit to raise funds for the restoration: an elaborate fashion show in the palace’s Royal Opera theater featuring both American and French designers. In addition to its philanthropic purpose, Lambert recognized the potential advantage of going head to head with the French on an international stage. Seventh Avenue fashion was not considered equal to Avenue Montaigne, and Lambert saw an opportunity to demonstrate the value of uniquely American sportswear. Little did the trio know that the benefit would take on legendary status - a fashion show for the ages now referred to as the Battle of Versailles. 

Program for the Grand Divertissement à Versailles fashion show belonging to Betsy Bloomingdale; FIDM Museum Special Collections

It was decided that each country would showcase five designers. The French selected established couturiers who were the biggest names in fashion: Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, Emanual Ungaro, and Pierre Cardin. After Geoffrey Beene and James Galanos declined invitations to participate, the Americans settled on Oscar de la Renta, Anne Klein, Halston, Bill Blass, and Stephen Burrows (a bit of a wildcard, as the young designer was still up-and-coming on the New York fashion scene). The two groupings could not have been more different: the Americans excelled at ready-to-wear fit for a more casual lifestyle, while the French were steeped in tradition and formality. Working with a shoe-string budget, the Americans enlisted veteran performer Kay Thompson to coordinate the presentation. To save on travel costs, the organizers only hired models who could walk for multiple designers; 11 of the models were African American, a surprising showcase of diversity for the time. 

Program interior

The event saw over 650 invited guests, each paying 1,000 francs per ticket. Everyone from royalty (Princess Grace of Monaco) to Hollywood stars (Elizabeth Taylor) were in attendance. Thanks to zealous media hype - much of it driven by Women’s Wear Daily publisher John Fairchild- and several days of contentious rehearsals between the French and American contingents, the stage was set for an epic fashion showdown. Snow fell outside the palace as guests arrived on November 28, 1973 to the blue and gold theater, lit by candelabras and surrounded by ushers in 18th century livery. The two-and-a-half hour French portion of the evening opened with elaborate sets, wooden props, and orchestra music. Rudolf Nureyev, Josephine Baker, and dancers from the infamous Crazy Horse club were among the performers; yet despite the over-the-top grandeur, it was clear the French delegation had missed the mark. A stiff conventionality and lack of cohesion plagued the production, which seemed to hearken from another time. 

Invitation to Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Bloomingdale to attend the Grand Divertissement à Versailles; FIDM Museum Special Collections

Kevin Jones 20th Anniversary Interview

On November 15, 2019, Curator Kevin Jones celebrated his 20th year at the FIDM Museum! To mark this milestone, we asked our social media followers what questions they had for Kevin about his career and experiences in the field over the past twenty years. Read on to learn what missed acquisition keeps him up at night, which costume was the most difficult to mount, and where he hopes to see the Museum in twenty years.

Kevin at the opening of Designing Hollywood: Sketches from the Christian Esquevin Collection, 2014

This was asked by several people: what is your favorite object in the collection? 

That is so impossible to answer because there are too many - every time I open a box I say 'this is my favorite'! Obviously the McQueen peacock dress, because truly that would not have existed had the Museum not commissioned it, so that’s something I’m really proud of. One of the historic garments that I love is the 1883 Vanderbilt ball fancy dress that was worn by Emily Vanderbilt Sloane. Normally I’m not interested in costume because I like the fashions that people wore in the day, but that was a pivotal moment in New York history, the development of architectural styles in the United States, the social atmosphere of the 400 and the high society of the Gilded Age. It’s believed that ball was the moment the Vanderbilts entered society. The gown was made in New York and has somehow survived in extraordinary condition - it looks like it stepped out of the photograph that exists of Emily wearing it. That’s something that was fun to acquire. 

Vanderbuilt fancy dress costume
1883, New York
FIDM Museum Purchase
2012.5.32A-C

Installing Modern Love at the Bendigo Art Gallery, Australia, 2013
Alexander McQueen peacock dress, Fall/Winter 2008-9 (commissioned 2010)
FIDM Museum Purchase: Funds generously provided by Karen Coombs-Jordan
2010.5.73

Another popular question: who in your opinion is the greatest designer in fashion or film, living or dead?

There’s no way! I love all the biggies, like Dior. Vionnet - when you examine her work, not only is it aesthetically beautiful when you step away from it, but the closer you get to it the more beyond phenomenal it becomes. I’m really a 19th century guy, and so many of the wonderful garments that survive from the 19th century have no designer attributions. I love Pingat because he did a lot of surface treatments; I particularly love embroideries. I love Paquin. We just acquired a Natalia Goncharova evening coat - the workmanship is beautiful, but it's more the concept of the coat that makes it stand apart and just is mesmerizing to me. I truly loved Alexander Mcqueen's work because he respected dress history. He also immersed himself in every aspect of the technical construction of garments before he became famous. Hollywood Costume Designers…I do love Walter Plunkett because I’m fascinated by his use of history. Who couldn’t love Adrian? He transitioned; he was Hollywood and then became a fashion designer. You could see his design, his style, his aesthetic translated onscreen and off-screen. I think that is an amazing feat to do - he knew how to translate the overblown, oversized, over-glamorized designs of what was needed onscreen to real women’s wardrobes. 

Fashion Council Fall Lecture Day

What do you see when you envision a fan? Perhaps gilded sticks, a painted leaf, a sprinkling of palettes? What about a fan made of perfume blotters, a cut-up silk scarf, or leather? World-class artist Sylvain Le Guen pushes the boundaries of traditional fan craftsmanship, using unexpected materials and shapes to construct contemporary fan designs. On October 26, 2019, the FIDM Museum was proud to host Le Guen at the annual Fashion Council Fall Lecture Day celebrating our new exhibition FANtasy: The Mona Lee Nesseth Fan Collection at the FIDM Museum at the FIDM Orange County campus.

Le Guen began his presentation with an overview of fan history, tracing the object's journey from ancient Egypt to Japan and China. He then walked the audience through his process of creating custom fans out of his Paris workshop, showing us fans in various forms of completion to illustrate each step. Le Guen's clients include private individuals, corporations, and the film industry; you might have seen his impressive work in Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette (2006) or Disney's live-action Cinderella (2015). His fans have also graced couture runways, window displays, art galleries, and grand masquerade balls - each tailor-made to suit the occasion and customer. 

The Museum is privileged to now count an original Le Guen design in our permanent collection: a custom Deco-inspired fan commissioned by Mona Lee Nesseth to match a beaded Lorena Sarbu evening gown, also in the Museum's collection. Associate Curator Christina Johnson spoke to Le Guen about how this fan came to fruition - be on the lookout for a future blog post detailing that process! You can see the gown and the fan displayed together for the first time when you visit FANtasy at the FIDM Orange County campus. Please note the exhibition is open by appointment; to schedule your visit, please call 888.974.3436.

If you'd like to learn more about Sylvain Le Guen's work, you can follow him on Instagram or visit his website. See photos of the Museum's new Le Guen fan, the FANtasy exhibition, and the Fall Lecture Day below!

Internationally celebrated fan artist Sylvain Le Guen with his work commissioned by Mona Lee Nesseth, now in the collection of the FIDM Museum