Fashion Conservatory

“The fashion industry has done itself in by neglecting the 60 to 80-year-old market.”

Iris Apfel understood that with age comes disposable income, confidence, and a lifetime of knowing what you like. Fashion refuses to look at who actually has taste, time, and money.

#IrisApfel #StyleIcon #Aging

Fashion history is filled with brilliant failures. Corfam, a synthetic leather substitute from the 1960s, was a marvel of material science, but it couldn't replicate the way natural leather moves moisture.

#FashionConservatory #DuPont #FashionHistory #VintageShoes #pleather #veganleather #Corfam

Happy Birthday Harry Styles! Thanks for reminding us that fashion gets a lot more interesting when you stop asking who something is “meant” for and start asking how it makes you feel. 

#HarryStyles #HarryStylesStyle

Have you ever noticed the deep historical roots in Harry Styles' iconic, gender fluid looks? He brilliantly channels the spirit of 19th-century dandies and 1970s rock gods.

#FashionConservatory #HarryStyles #StyleIcon #GenderFluidFashion #FashionHistory

The Holocaust is not distant history. It shaped families, generations, and the world we live in today. Its impact lives in the stories carried forward… like this one.

Today we commit ourselves to a world where this cannot happen again. לעולם לא עוד — Le’olam Lo Od.

#HolocaustMemorialDay

Alfred Shaheen built his own textile mill in Hawaii, and his bold, authentic prints helped launch island style onto the global stage.

#FashionConservatory #AlfredShaheen #ElvisPresley #BlueHawaii #VintageFashion #alohashirt #islandstyle #hawaiianshirt #1950sfashion #1960sFashion #tikistyle

🎂 Remembering costume designer Irene Sharaff on her birthday.

A true storyteller through costume defining mood, character, and era in every frame. 

#FashionConservatory #IreneSharaff #CostumeDesign #FunnyGirl #Cleopatra #WestSideStory #classichollywood

Happy Birthday, Irene Sharaff. From stage to screen, she shaped characters through clothing and showed the world that true style is a rare and deliberate art.

#IreneSharaff #HollywoodCostume #CostumeDesigner #FashionHistory

In 1957, Cristóbal Balenciaga introduced the babydoll dress to haute couture.

Follow @fashionconservatory for fashion history, true vintage, and a community preserving the past.

#CristobalBalenciaga #Balenciaga #FashionHistory #FashionConservatory #HauteCouture

How do you build an empire on rhinestones and big hair? Dolly Parton took her "mountain girl" roots and her dreams of stardom and created a glamorous, "more is more" aesthetic that was all her own. 

@dollyparton #FashionConservatory #DollyParton #StyleIcon #CountryGlam #Rhinestones #Tennessee

Happy Birthday, Dolly Parton. Your heart, humor, talent, and kindness continue to inspire the world. Thank you for reminding us to shine from the inside out with love, confidence, and a little sparkle. ✨

#DollyParton #AmericanIcon #LegendaryWit #GlamorousInsideandOut

Happy Birthday, Betty White. You made aging bold, joyful, unapologetic, and full of laughter. Women everywhere are louder, braver, and more fearless because of the path you paved. Your humor, heart, and that unstoppable sparkle live on.

#BettyWhite #aginggracefully #bettywhitequotes

January 15th is National Hat Day! Today we’re celebrating the resourcefulness of the women of World War II. 

#FashionConservatory #ww2fashion #WWIIFashion #WomensHistory #VintageHats #NationalHatDay #1940sfashion #vintagefashion

Barbra Streisand first captivated the world with her voice and paired her powerhouse performances with impeccable looks. 

Follow @fashionconservatory for fashion history, true vintage, and a community preserving the past.

#FashionConservatory #BarbraStreisand #1960sStyle #FashionIcons

From the slinky, bias-cut gowns of the 1930s to the sharp, structured suits of the 1940s, one Hollywood costume designer mastered it all: Robert Kalloch. 

#FashionConservatory #RobertKalloch #CostumeDesign #FashionHistory #ClassicHollywood #1940sfashion #1930sfashion #Vintagefashion #goldenage

As one of the silent era's most captivating stars, her influence went far beyond her acting. Her sophisticated wardrobe and trendsetting looks made her a definitive 1920s fashion icon.

#FashionConservatory #VilmaBanky  #1920sFashion #jazzage #1920sfilm #flapper #vintagefashion  #fashionhistory

Barbara Johnson was just 8 years old when she began recording swatches of every dress she had made.
Follow @fashionconservatory for fashion history, true vintage, and a community preserving the past.
#FashionConservatory #BarbaraJohnson #FashionHistory #VAMuseum  #TextileHistory #FashionHistory

Carolyn Schnurer believed that the story of a garment was woven directly into its threads. She pioneered the idea of "fabric interest".

#FashionConservatory #FashionHistory #CarolynSchnurer #VintageDesigner #TextileDesign #AmericanSportswear #1940sFashion #1950sStyle #MidcenturyModern #noveltyprint

From 70s icon to 80s cautionary tale and back. Diane von Furstenberg’s shows us a comeback is always possible.  She masterfully reclaimed her legacy in the 90s

#FashionConservatory #DVF #DianeVonFurstenberg #FashionHistory #1970sFashion #1980sFashion #1990sFashion  #FashionDesigner

The 700 textile pieces compiled by John Forbes Watson belong to generations of weavers, printers, and dyers in South Asia.

Fashion Conservatory: Preserving fashion’s past for future generations.

#FashionConservatory #TextileArt #HistoricalTextiles #TextileHistory #CulturalHeritage #Preservation

China Machado first made history in 1959 as the first model of color featured in a major US fashion magazine. But her work didn't stop there. 

Fashion Conservatory: Preserving fashion’s past for future generations. 

#FashionConservatory #ChinaMachado #FashionHistory #VintageStyle #IconicModels

Thierry Mugler understood that fashion was pure theater.

Fashion Conservatory: Preserving fashion’s past for future generations.

#FashionConservatory #ThierryMugler #Mugler #FashionHistory #VintageFashion #HauteCouture #DesignerFashion #80sFashion #90sFashion #IndecentProposal #TooFunky

How did your great-great-grandmother choose her dress fabric? She might have poured over a sample book just like this one. 

Fashion Conservatory: Preserving fashion’s past for future generations.

#FashionConservatory #FashionHistory  #AntiqueTextiles #SampleBook #HistoryOfFashion #SlowFashion

Jane Birkin's iconic style, from her beloved straw basket to her perfectly undone denim, defined the 60s and 70s and continues to inspire fashion lovers worldwide. 

Fashion Conservatory: Preserving fashion’s past for future generations.

#FashionConservatory #JaneBirkin #FashionIcon #VintageStyle

Step into the world of Dovima, the regal beauty whose unique presence made her one of the most unforgettable faces of 1950s fashion. 

Fashion Conservatory: Preserving fashion’s past for future generations.

#FashionConservatory #Dovima #DovimaWithElephants #RichardAvedon #50sFashion #VintageStyle

Join us in Miami for Salon du Vintage - December 12-14.

We’re bringing a stunning selection of Haute Couture, documented archival pieces, and rare vintage you won’t find anywhere else.

#FashionConservatory #SalonduVintage #vintagefashion #luxuryfashion #vintagedesigner #hautecouture #luxuryvintage

Step into the world of Barbara Hulanicki's Biba boutique where she pioneered inclusivity with a cosmetics line for every skin tone and gender.

Fashion Conservatory: Preserving fashion’s past for future generations.

#FashionConservatory #BarbaraHulanicki #Biba #FashionPioneer #InclusiveBeauty

Irving Penn's journey to legendary photographer for Vogue forever changed the way we see clothing. 

Fashion Conservatory: Preserving fashion’s past for future generations.

#FashionConservatory #IrvingPenn #FashionPhotography #FashionHistory #FashionPhotograper #20thcenturyphotography

The iconic Versace Medusa has a powerful origin story. Inspired by Versace's childhood explorations of ancient Greek ruins.

Fashion Conservatory: Preserving fashion’s past for future generations.

@versace #FashionConservatory #GianniVersace #Medusa  #FashionHistory #ItalianFashion #Mythology

Jeanloup Sieff was a photojournalist influenced by New Wave cinema. 

Fashion Conservatory: Preserving fashion’s past for future generations.

#FashionConservatory #JeanloupSieff #FashionPhotography #NewWaveCinema #VintageVogue #1960sStyle #CinematicPhotography #YvesSaintLaurent #FashionHistory