American Beauty: Aesthetics and Innovation in Fashion On View At FIT Through 4/10

The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) presents American Beauty: Aesthetics and Innovation in Fashion, the first exhibition to explore how the "philosophy of beauty" is allied to the craft of dressmaking. Each of the 90 looks on display was chosen to exemplify the relationship between technical ingenuity and artistic excellence. Curator Patricia Mears has focused on approximately 25 American fashion designers, ranging from the obscure, such as Jessie Franklin Turner, whose work dates from the late 1910s, to rising stars of the present day, such as the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte. Other designers featured include Adrian, Bonnie Cashin, Maria Cornejo, James Galanos, Halston, Elizabeth Hawes, Charles James, Charles Kleibacker, Claire McCardell, Norman Norell, Rick Owens, Ralph Rucci, Isabel Toledo, Pauline Trigère, Valentina, Yeohlee, and Jean Yu.

"The garments in American Beauty are connected by one overriding criterion: They have all been created by designers who utilized the craft of dressmaking as the point of departure to create beautiful, wearable objects," said Patricia Mears, deputy director of The Museum at FIT. "This focus on construction further illustrates that each designer's method of attaining innovative shapes and forms could only have come about because craft was the central focus of the creative process. While this exhibition most definitely is not a retrospective, the range of clothing types included in American Beauty is comprehensive in that it includes both high- and low-priced fashion from the past 100 years of American fashion."

American Beauty includes such dressmaking disciplines as draping, geometric forms, tailoring, and rigid construction from a broad spectrum of clothing styles, including daywear, suits, evening gowns, and active wear. The link between aesthetics and innovation is further explored by illustrating the diversity of creative styles in the United States, from highly functional and economical ready-to-wear garments to elaborate couture creations and Hollywood costumes. The exhibition is designed by Charles B. Froom.

A lavishly illustrated book, also called American Beauty: Aesthetics and Innovation in Fashion¸ is available from Yale University Press. Proceeds go to the Fashion Institute of Technology. A wide range of public programs, including free lectures and tours, accompany the exhibition. For a program of events, call 212 217.4585 or email museuminfo@fitnyc.edu.

1stdibs.com, the online resource for antique and vintage design, is a main sponsor of the exhibition, American Beauty, and the American Style symposium. Throughout the run of the show, 1stdibs will present editorial features on its website, including exhibition coverage, a book review, and an exclusive conversation with museum director Dr. Valerie Steele about MFIT's Permanent Collection.

The Coby Foundation, a New York-based organization that supports exhibitions and educational programming that combine excellent scholarship and effective interpretation of the needle arts, including fashion, is providing additional support for the exhibition and symposium. In particular, The Coby Foundation is making it possible for students to attend the symposium without charge.
yoox.com, the online retailer, is the museum's media partner for American Beauty. The site will post interviews with Ralph Rucci, Yeohlee, and other key designers featured in the exhibition. yoox.com will also produce video commentary by curator Patricia Mears, with an inside-out appreciation of selected items, for viewing at the museum and online.
A FASHION MUSEUM

The Museum at FIT is the only museum in New York City dedicated solely to the art of fashion. Best known for its innovative and award-winning exhibitions, which have been described by Roberta Smith in The New York Times as "ravishing," the museum has a collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating from the 18th century to the present. Like other fashion museums, such as the Musée de la Mode, the Mode Museum, and the Museo de la Moda, The Museum at FIT collects, conserves, documents, exhibits, and interprets fashion. The museum's mission is to advance knowledge of fashion through exhibitions, publications, and public programs. Visit www.fitnyc.edu/museum.

The Museum is part of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), a college of art and design, business and technology that educates more than 10,000 students annually. FIT is a college of the State University of New York (SUNY) and offers more than 44 majors leading to the AAS, BFA, BS, MA, and MPS degrees. Visit www.fitnyc.edu.

The Couture Council is a membership group of fashion enthusiasts that helps support the exhibitions and programs of The Museum at FIT. The Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion is given to a selected designer at a benefit luncheon held in the Rainbow Room every September. For information on the Couture Council, call 212 217.4532 or e-mail Couturecouncil@fitnyc.edu.

MUSEUM HOURS

Tuesday-Friday - noon-8 pm

Saturday -10 am-5 pm

Closed Sunday, Monday, and legal holidays

Admission is free and open to the public.

www.fitnyc.edu/museum