Defining Moments is a celebration of Phoenix Art Museum’s world class fashion department which is celebrating their 50th Anniversary along with the Arizona Costume Institute. We are so lucky to have both ACI and the fashion department as only a select few museums actually have a fashion department, and even fewer have one that has the support and recognition of the community locally and worldwide.

To celebrate their 50th Anniversary, the fashion department put together an exhibit of 50 significant works of fashion pulled from their archive of nearly 8,000 pieces. This exhibit not only shows the breadth of the museum’s fashion archive, but also provides a framework of the history of fashion starting in the 1700’s and ending with present designers.

Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

The exhibition features the most iconic designers from the past and present including some of our personal favorites like Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy and Chanel, alongside exquisite historical pieces.

Any fashion enthusiast will appreciate getting up close and personal with a garment that influenced the direction of fashion. It is an experience that transports you back in time… you can picture the designer sitting there sketching the piece, explaining the construction to their team, and celebrating when the piece walked down the runway for the first time. If you have even the tiniest bit of appreciation for fashion or history, you will completely fall in love with this exhibit.

Alexander McQueen | Photos courtesy of Almanza Photography

Hubert de Givenchy | Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton | Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

John Galliano for Christian Dior | Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

Yves Saint Laurent | Photo Courtesy of Almanza Photography

Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel | Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel | Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

As if the fashion pieces themselves weren’t impressive enough, the exhibit is styled with exclusive illustrations by New York artist Ruben Toledo. These stunning graphics bring the pieces to life and give you reference to the time period the outfits are from. Toledo transformed the space from a typical museum to a playground of imagination, creating the perfect backdrop for highlighting these historic and iconic designs.

Illustrations by Ruben Toledo

18th Century Fashion | Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

Early 19th Century Fashion | Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

One of my favorite parts of the exhibit was the accessory and shoe cases. It’s really incredible to see how the high heel has evolved and how our handbags have changed. At the same time, some pieces, even though they are decades old, look like you could head into Neiman Marcus and buy them today!

Fun fact: The oldest piece in the exhibit is a pair of leather gloves with metal lace and silk embellishments dating back to 1650! (Top right corner of the image below).

Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

“I’ve been working with this extraordinary collection for 16 years, and ‘Defining Moments’ marks my 40th original fashion exhibition for Phoenix Art Museum. Our collection’s richness and diversity has fostered my ability to present a wide range of topics in two annual exhibits held in the fall and spring. I applied my background at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to updating our collection with contemporary acquisitions and to exploring topics that engage people from across the community.” – Dennita Sewell, Curator of Fashion Design

Photo courtesy of Almanza Photography

My favorite piece in the exhibit, if I had to choose one, would have to be the Yves Saint Laurent Suit Ensemble. For me, Yves Saint Laurent’s aesthetic was a huge turning point in the way women dressed and really set up the framework for the modern business woman’s wardrobe. It was incredible to see this piece in person and gave me an even bigger appreciation for the designer.

Defining Moments will be on display from now through August 7, 2016 so make sure to go and pick out your favorite piece (or at least attempt to).
For more information on the exhibit, visit ArizonaCostumeInstitute.org or Phxart.org.

Enjoy more photos of the exhibit below by the incredibly talented James Almanza of Almanza Photography.

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