Designing Women: Fashion Creators and Their Interiors

Fashion & Textile History GalleryNovember 30, 2022 - May 14, 2023

illustration of three mannequins wearing dresses that have interiors superimposed on them

Illustration by Bil Donovan

two women in front of a large birdcage in a perfume boutique

Birdcage in the Schiaparelli perfume boutique, Paris, c. 1937, by Jean Michel Frank.

gold colored evening coat printed with butterflies

Elsa Schiaparelli, evening coat, summer 1938, France, gift of Mr. Rodman A. Heeren, 70.57.53

art deco interior and furniture with a zebra rug in the middle

Le salon de verre, designed by Paul Ruaud, furniture by Eileen Gray for Madame Mathieu-Lévy (milliner J. Suzanne Talbot), Paris. c. 1930.

J. Suzanne Talbot, hat, c. 1908, Paris, museum purchase, P83.19.12

illustrated interior room inspired by eileen gray and paul ruaud superimposed on an illustrated dress

Illustration by Bil Donnovan inspired by Eileen Gray and Paul Ruaud for Juliette Mathieu-Lévy (Suzanne Talbot), 2022.

illustrated pink interior room superimposed on an illustrated dress

Illustration by Bil Donnovan inspired by Valentina Schlee, 2022.

Explore #WomensFashionAndInteriors on Instagram!

Few creative fields exemplify the gracious art of living better than fashion and interior decoration. Designing Women: Fashion Creators and Their Interiors was the first exhibition to explore and celebrate the intersection of these profoundly influential and perennially beloved disciplines.

an interior room with furniture and a woman sitting in front of a vanity in the back of the room in sepia tone — Rose Room of the Lucile Couture House in New York CIty, c. 1916. Courtesy of Special Collections and College Archives, Gladys Marcus Library, FIT.

yellow silk chiffon peignoir with fur collar and cuffs on a long kimono sleeve — Attributed to Lucile, tea gown, c. 1918, gift of Elizabeth Roberts, 90.180.4

dusty rose-pink silk chiffon, pale silk crepe, lilac purple and qua blue silk ribbon — Attributed to Lucile, peignoir and slip, c. 1918, USA, gift of Elizabeth Roberts, 90.180.9

Beginning in the late nineteenth century, an increasing number of women founded important couture houses in Paris, London, and New York. At the same time, interior decoration became a viable profession thanks to female innovators on both sides of the Atlantic. Rather than espouse masculine modernism, these "great lady decorators" appropriated the refined aesthetics of eighteenth-century French interiors. Belle Époque couturières ardently embraced their updated rococo ideals of comfort and luxury. By the interwar years, other styles— from art moderne sleekness to bohemian eclecticism—became increasing popular, as female designers regularly used interior decoration to enhance their brands and enrich their personal lives.

impressionist oil on canvas painting of women in the early 1900s wearing closed-skirted dresses and hats, shopping at the house of paquin — Henri Gervex, Cinq Heures chez Paquin (Five Hours at Paquin), 1906, France.

pink silk chiffon evening cape of several layers and ruffled trims — Jeanne Paquin, evening cape, 1987, France, museum purchase, P83.19.7

Each fashion designer in this exhibition was represented by at least one garment or accessory, drawn solely from The Museum at FIT’s permanent collection, and an interior image. From luxe, professionally-crafted couture salons and apartments to modest, self-decorated ateliers and homes, the spaces express the passion these female fashion creators have devoted to their magical interiors.

Curated by Patricia Mears, Deputy Director

red with gold accent long sleeve top and pink ruffled collar paired with red pants — Anna Sui, kaftan ensemble, autumn 2012, gift of Anna Sui, 2022.70.1

Anna Sui in her home, standing in between two doors next to a floor to ceiling bookshelf filled with books — Anna Sui at home, photograph by Migue Flores-Vianna. Courtesy of Elle Décor

Before a circa 1912 Lucile gown could be exhibited in Designing Women: Fashion Creators and Their Interiors, it underwent extensive conservation treatment. Three short videos demonstrate how MFIT’s conservation team approached stabilizing shattered silk, replacing a disintegrating bodice, and matching existing fabric to reconstruct the neckline.

Videos are also available via our YouTube Playlist

Weighted Silks & Inherent Vice (1 minute, 40 seconds)

Patterning & Reconstructing a Replacement Interior Bodice Lining (1 minute, 31 seconds)

Painting Silk to Fill Losses in Bodice Neckline (1 minute, 35 seconds)

Fashion and interior decoration exemplify the gracious art of living

From luxe, professionally-crafted couture salons and apartments to modest, self-decorated ateliers and homes, the spaces express the passion these female fashion creators have devoted to their magical interiors.

In the Press

WWD

The Museum at FIT Presents ‘Designing Women: Fashion Creators and Their Interiors’

Fashion United

Living her best life; Anna Sui on fashion and interior design

Harper's Bazaar (IT)

The Museum At FIT annuncia la nuova mostra sul legame tra l'alta moda e l'interior design

Press Release (PDF) | Press Images on Flickr |

Also featured in Fashion United (UK), Journal du Luxe (FR), New School Free Press, Wall Street Journal

Related Events

Past Event

Apr

Anna Sui: Fashion Design and Interior Decoration

Fashion designer Anna Sui and MFIT's deputy director Patricia Mears talked about interior decoration. Best known for her contemporary reimagining of historic textiles and vintage clothing, Sui is also celebrated for her extraordinarily beautiful, self-designed home. Inspired by legendary interior decorators and period styles from Victoriana to Art Nouveau, it is an unsurpassed blend of art, craft, fantasy, comfort, and kitsch.

Read about it!View Images on Flickr

gold evening cape with blue butterflies by elsa schiaparelli

Explore More on our Digital Guide

Enjoy three short videos on the Bloomberg Connects app about the conservation work this Lucile gown received in advance of this exhibition.

Image: Lucile evening gown, blue silk taffeta, blue chiffon, mauve ribbon, gilt lace, and metallic embroidery, c. 1912, England, gift of Mrs. Cora Ginsburg, 81.131.12

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