Museum at FIT: fashion history by century
The museum of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology lays out the history of dress century by century, starting with the Middle Ages.
What it is
The Pinterest profile of the Museum at FIT, the fashion museum of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. It runs to more than 140 boards and over 8,000 pins. The backbone is a timeline of dress from the 11th–14th centuries to the present, surrounded by boards on fashion houses, illustration, photography and the museum's past exhibitions.
Why we picked it
Fashion history on Pinterest usually means stray pins with no date and no caption. Here it's laid out like a textbook: separate Fashion History boards for the medieval period, the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, then the 19th century in 20- to 30-year slices and the whole 20th century decade by decade. It's the quickest way to see how the 1920s differ from the 1930s, or to find a dress from a specific period.
The rest of the profile is about people and craft. There are boards for Dior, Chanel, Balenciaga, Worth, Poiret, Schiaparelli and Alexander McQueen. The Strike a Pose series is split by photographer — Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Cecil Beaton, Horst P. Horst. Fashion illustration is organised by period from 1700 onward, accessories get their own boards for bags, hats and shoes, and the Technique boards cover embroidery, knitting, smocking and quilting.
Where to start
- Fashion History: 18th century — over a hundred pins and the best entry into pre-1800 dress.
- Fashion History: 1920–1930 and its neighbours — references for period costume and styling.
- Fashion Illustration 1900–1930 — fashion drawing for illustrators.
- Strike a Pose – Irving Penn or Richard Avedon — classic fashion photography for a shoot moodboard.
- Accessorize: Shoes (to 1920) — footwear before 1920, for getting the details of a look right.
Who it's for
Costume designers, stylists and fashion students. Illustrators and historical novelists who can't afford to get the century wrong. And anyone curious about where the pieces in today's wardrobe came from.
Quick answers
Do I need a Pinterest account to browse? No, the boards are open to everyone, though Pinterest may ask you to log in from time to time.
What is the Museum at FIT? The fashion museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Admission to the museum is free.
Are there exhibition boards? Yes, many of the museum's shows have their own board, including current and upcoming ones.
