Fashion Columbia Study Collection

About the Collection

Fashion Columbia Study Collection (FCSC) comprises approx 6,000 items of dress, including:

• European, American and Japanese fashion designers
• Military uniforms, WWI, WWII, Vietnam, etc.
• Ethnic collection, indigenous dress from around the world
• Accessories: bags, shoes, jewelry, hats, etc.

In addition there is a growing library comprising books, magazines, patterns, designer files, store archives and a general dress and merchandising ephemera collection to facilitate deeper and broader research opportunities.

FCSC was founded in 1989 to serve as a teaching tool for Fashion Design students. Over the years the collection and its uses have grown to include an interdisciplinary approach to teaching history, technology and aesthetics. This is accomplished by providing:

• Access to faculty and students from the entire college
• Maintaining an on-going research into various aspects of the collection and dress history
• A targeted acquisitions policy
• Regular scheduled educational and aesthetic exhibitions, used as a teaching tool for students.

The Collection is located on the fourth floor of the 1006 South Michigan Avenue 4th floor Building of Columbia College and is available by appointment only.

Steph McGrath, Curator 312.344.6283 or smcgrath@colum.edu