To date, these fragments of dress are the only surviving testimonies of elite feminine garments in the Late Byzantine Empire. They offer a remarkable insight into what might have been the fashion habit in Mystras (Greece) and reflect the prestigious and multicultural civilization of Byzantium during the 15th century.
Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s “God Save the Queen” T-shirt is a white, long-sleeve shirt with distressed elements and a bold graphic by Jamie Reid featuring lyrics to the Sex Pistols song. It has become an iconic representation of early British Punk style.
This crinoline-style day dress from 1855 combines decorative elements such as fringe and bold patterns and reflects the rise of voluminous tiered garments, improved cloth printing, and luxurious colors and embellishments utilized during the 1850s.
A loose-fitting pullover tunic traditionally worn in West African cultures that was adopted by African diasporic communities as a symbol of African heritage in the 1960s and then more widely worn as a popular item of “ethnic” fashion.
This intricate 1855 day dress includes many fashionable elements of the time period, including beautiful silk fringe trimming and stripe designs.
This 1872 Worth dress reflects dominant trends of the moment with its use of fringe, bows and horizontal trim, but is also somewhat more unique in its use of Islamic enamel-inspired ribbons.
Thierry Mugler’s campy “Birth of Venus” dress from Fall/Winter 1995 was made to celebrate the brand’s 20th anniversary and features the body-conscious design and theatrical flair that Mugler was known for.
Charles James’ 1955 “Butterfly” gown features a body-conscious sculpted sheath and large bustle skirt, which is reminiscent of the tightly fitted bustle dresses of the early 1880s.
L’Eléphant Blanc is part of Yves Saint Laurent’s Trapèze collection for the House of Dior, Spring/Summer 1958, which introduced the versatile trapèze silhouette to haute couture. Saint Laurent’s first collection at Dior placed him firmly on the path to becoming one of the most well-known designers of the twentieth century.
In November 1994, Vivienne Tam presented her spring 1995 collection, which would become one of the most notable of her career. Known as the “Mao collection”, it comprised of t-shirts, dresses, and skirt suits featuring comical images of Mao Zedong (1893-1976), the founding father of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and former chairman of the Communist Party of China.
This striking plaid ensemble designed by Elizabeth Keckley for Mary Todd Lincoln was on the cutting edge of fashion, but also in good taste – embracing the latest French trends while relying on a distinctively American plaid and minimal trimmings in light of the ongoing Civil War.
Patrick Kelly is remembered for his skin-tight dresses, design affinity for buttons and hearts, and his joyous attitude — all which are manifested in this 1986 dress.
15th century – Late Byzantine Silk Damask Dress and Taffeta Tunic
The Fez and the Ottoman Path to Modernity
1869 – Red Silk Dress
katazome (stencil printing)
1905 – André Derain, Lucien Gilbert