New Acquisitions
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Before becoming a fashion designer, the Colombian designer Jorge Duque studied to
be a physical therapist. This background helped him understand human anatomy. He also
learned about tools and techniques that strengthen the body. In this outfit, Duque
combines his interest in prosthetics and corsetry, with a celebration of Latin American
pre-Hispanic cultures. The decorations on the upper chest and arms are inspired by
the Colombian archeological site of San Agustín. You can see depictions of the megalithic
stone sculptures from this funerary site on the see-through top and leggings. These
garments also reference the artwork of the Mexican contemporary artist Dr. Lakra,
who drew pre-Hispanic motifs onto the bodies of magazine models as if they were tattoos.
Jorge Duque created this outfit because he believes that pre-Hispanic art is still
alive in Latin America, and in dialogue with contemporary culture.
This ensemble was on view in the 2023 exhibition Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design.
American abolitionist Harriet Tubman inspired Sindiso Khumalo's spring 2021 collection, represented in two floral illustrations by Cape Town artist Shakil Solanki: the cotton Tubman would have picked as an enslaved child and Philadelphia Fleabane, "the first wildflower she would have seen crossing into freedom." Khumalo states, "I am paying homage to specific Black women from a specific time in history to ensure their stories are told. I can't believe there are some South Africans who don’t know who Harriet Tubman is … It's important for us to have these role models and talk about them because they are icons of our [shared] history."
This dress was on view in the 2024 exhibition Africa's Fashion Diaspora.
The anarchic sensibility of the punk movement is evident in this garment, which draws on Vivienne Westwood's research into fetish clothes, uniforms, and straitjackets.
This ensemble was on view in the 2025 exhibition Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis.
Sleeve supports shaped the leg-of-mutton sleeves of the 1820s and 1830s. When voluminous
sleeves returned to fashion at the end of the 19th century, such supports were considered
obsolete. As an 1894 New York Times article declared, "we do not quite follow the absurdities of those sensible old days
and wear bags of feathers upon our arms."
These sleeve puffs were on view in the 2024 exhibition Statement Sleeves.
Below are the types of objects in the collections of The Museum at FIT.
The accessories collection consists of approximately 15,000 objects that date from the mid-17th century to the present day. The collection has a particularly strong emphasis on designer accessories from the second half of the 20th century.
* The accessories collection is supported by the Solomon-Sloan Endowment Fund, which was established in 2005 to facilitate the acquisition, conservation, documentation and exhibition of accessories.
* The footwear collection contains more than 4,000 pairs of shoes, boots and sandals. It includes examples by designers such as Manolo Blahnik, Roger Vivier, Herbert Levine, and Salvatore Ferragamo.
* The millinery collection contains more than 3,000 hats by famous milliners such as Caroline Reboux, Lilly Daché, Halston and Philip Treacy. There are also many examples from designers such as Christian Dior, Balenciaga and Jacques Fath.
* The handbag collection includes fine examples by luxury houses such as Hermés and Gucci as well as examples by Roberta di Camerino, Judith Leiber and Bonnie Cashin for Coach.
* Other accessories include fans, gloves, belts, hosiery and costume jewelry.
The Costume Collection consists of more than 50,000 objects dating from the mid-18th century to the present. The strength of the collection lies in its 20th-century holdings and, particularly, in couture and ready-to-wear women's clothing.
* The costume collection includes fashion by designers such as Azzedine Alaïa, Balenciaga, Chanel, Comme des Garçons, Dior, Galanos, Halston, Charles James, Norell, Paul Poiret, Yves Saint Laurent, and Vivienne Westwood.
* The Halston Archives and Study Room hold designs, patterns, and related records documenting this important designer's life work.
* The menswear collection features some 2,000 garments ranging from formal to activewear, including suits, coats, vests, and uniforms.
* Also included are swimwear, lingerie, outerwear, and knitwear.
The Textile Collection consists of more than 30,000 textiles dating from the fifth century to the present, and includes the work of artists and designers such as Junichi Arai, Salvador Dali, Raoul Dufy, and William Morris.
* The textile collection includes apparel and home furnishing fabrics, embroideries, and shawls.
* The collection also includes a number of ribbon sample books.
* The J.B. Martin Velvet Room archives handwoven and production velvets spanning a 125-year period.
The Photography Archive features the work of fashion photographers Louise-Dahl Wolfe (1895-1989), who produced 86 cover images and thousands of interior shots for Harper’s Bazaar magazine, and John Rawlings (1912-1970), who had more than 200 Vogue and Glamour magazine covers.
Image: Louise Dahl-Wolfe photograph of model Sandra Payson. Featured in Harper’s Bazaar, March 1947, page 205, gift of Louise Dahl-Wolfe, 74.84.54
For those looking for the Herman Landshoff collection, the archive has been transferred
to:
Munchner Stadtmuseum
Sammlungsleiter Fotomuseum
St.-Jakobs-Pl. 1
80331 Munchen
The contact for the collection is:
Dr. Ulrich Pohlmann
Tel.: 089/233-22948
Fax.: 089/233-27969
email.: [email protected]