From
Azzedine Alaïa,
Cristóbal Balenciaga, and
Coco Chanel to
Alexander McQueen,
Yves Saint Laurent, and
Vivienne Westwood,
more than a century’s worth of fashion greats from the permanent collection of
The Museum at FIT in New York City are celebrated in this fresh edition of
Fashion Designers A–Z.
15 new names join the ranks of the industry’s most admired—
Phoebe Philo,
Patrick Kelly, and
Sonia Rykiel, to name a few—in this
updated and expanded release showcasing some
500 garments in the Museum’s permanent collection. From an exquisitely embroidered velvet evening gown to Mondrian-influenced minimalist chic, each piece has been selected and photographed not only for its beauty, but for its representative value, distilling the
unique philosophy and aesthetics of each of the featured designers.
In her introductory essay, the Museum’s director and chief curator
Valerie Steele writes about
the rise of the fashion museum, and the emergence of the fashion exhibition as a popular and controversial phenomenon. International style authority
Suzy Menkes contributes a foreword, texts by the museum’s curators shine historical light on each label and garment pictured, and 125 drawn portraits by artist
Robert Nippoldt pay homage to the creators behind them.