Founded in 1937 as the Museum of Costume Art by Irene Lewisohn and Aline Bernstein, it merged with The Met in 1946. In 1959, it became a full curatorial department, establishing fashion as a serious academic discipline and art form. Founded in 1937 as the Museum of Costume
Explore the used to preserve 100-year-old dresses it became a full curatorial department
: In 2009, the Brooklyn Museum transferred its collection of nearly 25,000 objects to the Institute, doubling its holdings and creating the definitive American fashion archive.
: A retrospective that broke attendance records and redefined fashion exhibitions as immersive theatrical experiences.