A HIDDEN GEM IN A CITY FULL OF THEM
February 17, 2012

About a year ago, I made a discovery; a hidden gem in a city full of gems. I discovered the Museum at The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).  I was so impressed by what i saw that ever since my first visit to MFIT, I have made it a point to see every show this small museum has mounted. I am consistently amazed and impressed at the depth and quality of their presentations. Best of all? Admission is free and it's open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays!

The Museum currently features two exhibits. The first is called Fashion A-Z; Highlights from the Collection of the Museum at FIT. It features clothing from the permanent collection and includes some of the most gorgeous and classic looks I've ever seen; items from the early 1900's for example that look like they could have been designed this decade...or this year.

The splashier and more publicized exhibit is Impact: 50 Years of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The CFDA is exactly what its name says it is. Currently helmed by president Diane Von Furstenburg and governed by the very top leaders in American Fashion Design, CFDA has the connections and wherewithal to make just that; an impact. So in putting this new exhibit together along with the Museum, they reached out to over 400 of the top fashion designers in America, among them the most famous and influential; people whose names and designs are familiar to all of us. They asked these designers to send in the look or outfit that most clearly represents them or which had the biggest influence on their careers. Von Furstenburg, for example, submitted an early wrap dress from the 1970's. Donna Karan submitted a look from her early "seven easy pieces" collection from 1985. And you know what? Both looks are still completely modern, current and relevant today. If you visit the Museum you will see, up close and "in person" some of the most intricate, beautiful and innovative clothing ever created. And although there wasn't space to exhibit designs from all 400 designers, there are video displays airing in a constant loop, and ipads available through which you can scroll to see a whole lot more.

I admit that I am certainly a bit of a fashion geek. But even if you aren't as obsessed as I am, I urge you to visit the Museum at FIT. You won't be disappointed. And the price is right!

The Museum is located on Seventh Avenue at 27th Street in Manhattan. For more information, visit fitnyc.edu/museum or cfda.com