Rudi Gernreich’s 1970 caftan reflects the designer’s politics and his tireless effort toward creating genderless clothing. The piece features his characteristic loose silhouette as well as his technique of using patterns to de-accentuate the assumed gender of the wearer.
Stephen Burrows is celebrated for his graphic color blocking and innovative use of matte jersey fabric at the height of the disco era. He became one of the first Black fashion designers to achieve international acclaim.
This color-blocked 1973 chiffon evening dress represents American designer Stephen Burrows’ original contributions to fashion as well as to the ground-breaking Battle of Versailles.
A shiny synthetic fiber made of aluminum-coated plastic with a glittering metallic sheen.
The 1970s were marked by a progression towards casual comfort while retaining an aura of chic, a trend Bill Blass embodies in this 1973 evening ensemble that radiates classy comfort.
Seventies fashion saw bold colors and patterns take center stage. Women’s fashion looked back to the 1940s by day and pumped up the glamour by night. Men had an array of suit types to choose from and favored colorful plaids. Children’s fashion followed adult fashion with bold plaids and bright colors with the distinction between genders lessening throughout the decade.
Bill Kaiserman (Rafael) was a retail salesman turned hat maker who influenced that fashion world by introducing the leisure aesthetic to the American fashion market in the early 1970s.
The Fez and the Ottoman Path to Modernity
1869 – Red Silk Dress
katazome (stencil printing)
1905 – André Derain, Lucien Gilbert
Inès Gâches-Sarraute and the Straight-Front Corset