Fashion Study Collection
The Fashion Study Collection at Columbia College Chicago is an exceptional collection of designer garments, fashion history, and ethnic dress. A hands-on, academic, and inspirational resource for students and the public, the collection was founded in 1989 and has grown to house more than 6,000 items.
The Fashion Study Collection is dedicated to the collection and documentation of Dress for study and exhibition. It supports teaching and learning across disciplines through the exploration of dress and its relationship to history, culture, art, design, business, and technology.
The Collection
The eighth floor is home to the Research Center and Vault. The Research Center offers access to books, magazines, journals, visual media and other reference materials, dating as early as the 1840s. General subjects addressed by the collection include fashion history, global dress, construction, and textiles.
The Vault contains about 6,000 objects of dress and adornment including designer, historic, and ethnic wear. The designer collection consists of garments by nearly 400 national and international fashion designers, with representations of designer samples, custom, and ready-to-wear pieces.
The historic collection consists of everyday and special occasion dress for women, men, and children dating from the late 19th through the 21st century. The collection also includes accessories, uniforms, athletic wear, wedding dresses, leather, and furs. It provides a visual history of fashion and cultural history of dress.
The ethnic collection consists of historic, contemporary, everyday, ceremonial, and traditional garments from around the world, accessories and textiles. Established in 1992, this part of the collection represents a wide range of cultures, materials, techniques, and embellishments.
Visit the Fashion Study Collection online database
Visitor Information
618 South Michigan Ave, 8th floor
Chicago, IL 60605
Faculty members, students, and external researchers can use the button below to request an appointment to view the collection. We ask that you please submit your request at least two weeks in advance of your proposed visit.
Collection Donations
The Fashion Study Collection wouldn’t exist without the generosity of its donors. To inquire about donating items from your collection, please contact fsc@colum.edu. (Note: Due to limited space, we can no longer accept wedding gowns.)
Contact Information
Lauren Downing Peters, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Fashion Studies
Director, Fashion Study Collection
(312) 369-7607
ldowningpeters@colum.edu
For general inquiries regarding the Fashion Study Collection, please email FSC@colum.edu.
