Special Exhibitions Gallery, The Museum at FIT

John Cowan for Vogue, November 1964. Expedition: Fashion From the Extreme traces a few of the most challenging forms of human exploration and looks at how the clothes made for survival in these environments found their way into high fashion. Types of expeditions will include deep sea, polar navigation, mountain climbing, treks through the extreme tropical and arid environments, and even travel to outer space. Four major types of clothing will constitute the majority of the exhibition: indigenous clothing such as…

Norman Norell for Traina-Norell, subway coat and dress, c.1958, gift of Lauren Bacall. February 9–April 14, 2018  This large-scale retrospective is an in-depth study of one of America’s greatest and most influential fashion designers. It is organized by guest curator Jeffrey Banks and MFIT’s deputy director Patricia Mears. Born in 1900, Norman Norell had an extraordinary career that spanned six decades. Working in the theater, film, and fashion industries, he incorporated the highest quality couture construction techniques and workmanship in…

Norman Norell for Traina-Norell, subway coat and dress, c.1958, gift of Lauren Bacall. February 9–April 14, 2018  This large-scale retrospective is an in-depth study of one of America’s greatest and most influential fashion designers. It is organized by guest curator Jeffrey Banks and MFIT’s deputy director Patricia Mears. Born in 1900, Norman Norell had an extraordinary career that spanned six decades. Working in the theater, film, and fashion industries, he incorporated the highest quality couture construction techniques and workmanship in…

Afternoon dress, pink silk taffeta, 1857, USA, museum purchase. September 7, 2018–January 5, 2019  Pink is popularly associated with little girls, ballerinas, Barbie dolls, and all things feminine. Yet the symbolism and significance of pink have varied greatly across time and space. The stereotype of pink-for-girls versus blue-for-boys may be ubiquitous today, but it only gained traction in the mid-20th century. In the eighteenth century, when Madame de Pompadour helped make pink fashionable at the French court, it was perfectly…

Afternoon dress, pink silk taffeta, 1857, USA, museum purchase. September 7, 2018–January 5, 2019  Pink is popularly associated with little girls, ballerinas, Barbie dolls, and all things feminine. Yet the symbolism and significance of pink have varied greatly across time and space. The stereotype of pink-for-girls versus blue-for-boys may be ubiquitous today, but it only gained traction in the mid-20th century. In the eighteenth century, when Madame de Pompadour helped make pink fashionable at the French court, it was perfectly…

Installation view of Fashion & Surrealism (1987) featuring La Sirène dress by Charles James and "Lobster" dress by Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí. February 8–April 20, 2019 Founded in 1969 by the Fashion Institute of Technology, The Museum at FIT is a specialized fashion museum famous for its innovative and award-winning exhibitions. The museu m has been the site of more than 200 exhibitions since the 1970s, and Exhibitionism commemorates approximately 33 of the most influential of these, including Fashion and Surrealism (1987), a groundbreaking show that explored…

Installation view of Fashion & Surrealism (1987) featuring La Sirène dress by Charles James and "Lobster" dress by Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí. February 8–April 20, 2019 Founded in 1969 by the Fashion Institute of Technology, The Museum at FIT is a specialized fashion museum famous for its innovative and award-winning exhibitions. The museum has been the site of more than 200 exhibitions since the 1970s, and Exhibitionism commemorates approximately 33 of the most influential of these, including Fashion and Surrealism (1987), a groundbreaking show that examined the relationship…

John Galliano, ensemble, spring/summer 1992, England, museum purchase. September 6, 2019–January 4, 2020  Paris, Capital of Fashion will explore how and why Paris became the international capital of fashion. It will feature approximately 75 fashion ensembles, dating from the 18th century to the present, as well as accessories. Curated by Dr. Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at FIT, this major exhibition will be accompanied by a book and symposium. The introductory gallery will place Paris within the global fashion system.…

John Galliano, ensemble, spring/summer 1992, England, museum purchase. September 6, 2019–January 4, 2020  Paris, Capital of Fashion will explore how and why Paris became the international capital of fashion. It will feature approximately 75 fashion ensembles, dating from the 18th century to the present, as well as accessories. Curated by Dr. Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at FIT, this major exhibition will be accompanied by a book and symposium. The introductory gallery will place Paris within the global fashion system.…

Charles James ballgown, silk chiffon, satin, netting, and boning, 1954-1955, USA, gift of Robert Wells in memory of Lisa Kirk. The Museum at FIT is temporarily closed.  View the online exhibition here.  February 11–April 18, 2020  Ballet took its place in the western pantheon of modern high culture during the interwar years of the twentieth century. The ballerina, the form’s most celebrated practitioner, blossomed into a revered figure of beauty and glamour, and her signature costume—the corseted tutu—inspired many of fashion’s…

Charles James ballgown, silk chiffon, satin, netting, and boning, 1954-1955, USA, gift of Robert Wells in memory of Lisa Kirk. The Museum at FIT is temporarily closed.  View the online exhibition here. February 7–April 18, 2020  Ballet took its place in the western pantheon of modern high culture during the interwar years of the twentieth century. The ballerina, the form’s most celebrated practitioner, blossomed into a revered figure of beauty and glamour, and her signature costume—the corseted tutu—inspired many of fashion’s…

Charles James, debutante dress, 1937, USA, Gift of Mrs. John Hammond, 77.89.3. August 6–November 28, 2021 Special Exhibitions Gallery Ravishing: The Rose in Fashion presents the first socio-cultural examination of the rose in fashion. This flower can be dated back over 3 million years, and its broad geographic sweep is entwined with stories of trade, immigration, politics, religion, gender, food, beauty, and identity. It has been worshipped and reviled, and it is inextricably linked to perceptions of love. Not surprisingly, this delicate…

Moschino Couture suit, printed rayon, 1990, Italy, museum purchase, 2009.1.4. January 19–April 17, 2022 Special Exhibitions Gallery Minimalism. Retro revivals. Deconstruction. The rejuvenation of haute couture. These are just a few of the concepts that have come to define 1990s fashion, which was not easily characterized by a handful of silhouettes or the dictates of a few designers. As fashion editor Stephen Gan wrote in 1997, “To focus on one current look or to obsess over the rise and fall…

Moschino Couture suit, printed rayon, 1990, Italy, museum purchase, 2009.1.4. January 19–April 17, 2022 Special Exhibitions Gallery Minimalism. Retro revivals. Deconstruction. The rejuvenation of haute couture. These are just a few of the concepts that have come to define 1990s fashion, which was not easily characterized by a handful of silhouettes or the dictates of a few designers. As fashion editor Stephen Gan wrote in 1997, “To focus on one current look or to obsess over the rise and fall…

Tom Ford, evening sandals, spring 2012, USA, gift of Tom Ford International, 2013.10.1 September 1–December 31, 2022 Special Exhibitions Gallery Shoes: Anatomy, Identity, Magic explores our physical, social, and psychological relationship with shoes. The exhibition begins with a pair of baby shoes, indicating how shoes accompany us on the journey of life. The theme of anatomy emphasizes how we stand and move differently when we wear, say, sneakers rather than stilettos. Peep-toe shoes and thigh-high boots also draw attention to different…

Tom Ford, evening sandals, spring 2012, USA, gift of Tom Ford International, 2013.10.1 September 1–December 31, 2022 Special Exhibitions Gallery Shoes: Anatomy, Identity, Magic explores our physical, social, and psychological relationship with shoes. The exhibition begins with a pair of baby shoes, indicating how shoes accompany us on the journey of life. The theme of anatomy emphasizes how we stand and move differently when we wear, say, sneakers rather than stilettos. Peep-toe shoes and thigh-high boots also draw attention to different…

February 8–April 23, 2023 Special Exhibitions Gallery Fresh, Fly, and Fabulous: Fifty Years of Hip Hop Style will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop by examining the roots and history of hip hop fashion from its inception to the present time. This exhibition will explore themes such as the transition of hip hop from the ‘hood to the runway, luxury and designer influence, the impact of hip hop celebrities on the fashion industry, and the growth of…

February 8–April 23, 2023 Special Exhibitions Gallery Fresh, Fly, and Fabulous: Fifty Years of Hip Hop Style will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop by examining the roots and history of hip hop fashion from its inception to the present time. This exhibition will explore themes such as the transition of hip hop from the ‘hood to the runway, luxury and designer influence, the impact of hip hop celebrities on the fashion industry, and the growth of…

Jeremy Scott for Moschino, chocolate bar gown, wool/silk and polyamide-nylon blend, fall 2014, Italy, museum purchase, 2019.55.1 September 13–November 26, 2023 Special Exhibitions Gallery, The Museum at FIT Food and fashion are two modes of expression central to our daily lives. They address humankind’s most basic needs, and also offer a significant window into our societies. The histories of food and fashion as consumer and cultural products have converged over the past three centuries. Fashion designers turn to food themes…