September 23, 2013

The Drexel Historic Costume Collection (DHCC) will open its doors to the public for the first time this fall, during our Fashion Fridays series at the URBN Center. These all-day events will consist of lectures on various fashion eras by DHCC Curator Clare Sauro, a lunch and then, of course, a tour of our amazing collection of more than 12,000 garments and accessories dating back to the 1750s. Our holdings include garments worn by Greta Garbo, Babe Paley and Princess Grace. The first Fashion Friday event will take place Oct. 25 starting at 9:45 a.m. with a talk on the history of 1920s fashion.

Hundreds of students and researchers visit the DHCC each year – a number that has been growing exponentially since our move to URBN Center. Although we make every effort to accommodate guests, access to the collection is limited and up-to-now has so far been by appointment only. Fashion Fridays is your chance to see and learn about a truly outstanding collection documenting the great designers and changing styles of the past centuries. If you are interested in attending, please contact DHCC Curator Clare Sauro at 215-571-3504 or via email at dhcc[at]drexel.edu.

The DHCC is one of the oldest internationally recognized teaching collections in the United States. Our collection has lent pieces to many prominent exhibitions around the globe. Borrowers have included the Phoenix Art Museum, The Columbus Museum of Art, Musée de la Mode et du Textile, Museo Salvatore Ferragamo, The Museum at FIT and The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Contributing to external exhibitions is yet another way to further our educational mission and the DHCC welcomes loan requests in the spirit of collaboration.