Form & Taste

Museum Collections

5 articles

Fashion students examining holographic projections of historical Issey Miyake and Thierry Mugler garments in a modern digital archive.
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The significance of digital fashion archives in design history

Imagine trying on a virtual Issey Miyake garment from a museum collection, scaling and spinning it on your phone.

Adrianne Cole·August 26, 2026
A close-up of a fragile 19th-century historical gown with intricate embroidery, displayed in a museum archive, emphasizing the need for careful preservation.
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What is the fashion archiving process and its significance for preservation?

Restoring a priceless historical gown often means risking further damage, as traditional methods can only slow decay, not stop it.

Adrianne Cole·August 10, 2026
A vast, dimly lit fashion archive showcasing rows of historical garments and accessories, emphasizing the importance of preservation and research.
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What are fashion archives and why is their preservation crucial for historical research?

A single fashion archive, like the Maryland Center for History and Culture's repository, holds over 14,000 distinct garments and accessories.

Adrianne Cole·May 29, 2026
A climate-controlled archive room showcasing historical garments alongside a digital display of vintage fashion magazines, representing fashion preservation.
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What is archival fashion preservation and why does it matter?

In 2011, Vogue launched the first digital archive of its American magazine , instantly simplifying fashion research and preservation for millions.

Adrianne Cole·April 20, 2026
A fashion archivist carefully preserving a delicate vintage dress in a climate-controlled museum archive, showcasing the scientific approach to textile conservation.
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What is the role of a fashion archivist preserving historical garments?

At The Museum at FIT, curators prepare for 5 exhibitions a year, a demanding schedule that necessitates meticulous scientific preservation of each garment.

Adrianne Cole·April 12, 2026