About the Event:
Join us at the Fashion Institute of Technology for a fascinating archival overview of women’s fashions of the Art Deco era, as seen through period photographs, magazines, and original design sketches, as well as material related to Lucile Ltd., the eponymous and influential fashion house founded in London by Lady Lucy Duff Gordon.
Lady Gordon was the first British-based designer to achieve international acclaim, and was a widely acknowledged innovator in couture styles as well as in fashion industry public relations. In addition to originating the “mannequin parade,” a precursor to the modern fashion show, and training the first professional models, she launched slit skirts and low necklines, popularized less restrictive corsets, and promoted alluring and pared-down lingerie — all inherent elements of Art Deco style.
Opening branches of her London house, Lucile Ltd., in Chicago, New York City, and Paris, her business became the first global couture brand, and dressed a trend-setting clientele of royalty, nobility, and stage and film personalities
FIT’s large collection of Lucille, Ltd., archival material will be used in conjunction with other period resources to provide an in-depth look at how fashion in the 1920s and ’30s evolved to reflect the changing role of women in modern society.
About the Presenters:
April Calahan, Special Collections Associate, serves as the curator of manuscript collections, and works one-on-one with researchers visiting the collection. April received her undergraduate degree in the history of art and her MA from FIT's Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory Museum Practice Program. Prior to her graduate studies, she worked in contemporary art galleries and foundations for nearly ten years. April is a Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice certified art appraiser as well as the author of several books on the history of fashion.
Karen Trivette, Professor-Librarian, Head of Special Collections and College Archives, joined the library in 2008, and selects, arranges, describes, preserves, promotes, and makes accessible the holdings of the unit. Karen holds a BA in the history of art from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a MLS from the University at Albany-State University of New York. Before coming to FIT, she worked for the New York State Archives, the University at Albany (NY), and the Museum of Modern Art.
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Current Safety Protocols for this Event:
We look forward to having you join us for this in-person event! The health and safety of all attendees is our top priority. ADSNY will continue to monitor and abide by guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), New York State, and New York City.
- VACCINATIONS: Vaccinations are highly recommended.
- FACE COVERINGS: Face masks are recommended, but not required.
- SOCIAL DISTANCING: Attendees must be respectful of each other’s personal space and distance themselves where appropriate.
- IF YOU ARE UNWELL: Stay home if you are feeling sick or symptomatic. If you have been in contact with someone with related symptoms, or who has tested positive within the last 14 days, also stay home.
- COVID RISK: Though positivity rates are declining, an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public space where people are present. Those joining ADSNY’S in-person programming do so at their own risk to such exposure.
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