On view are 23 garments drawn from the Museum’s collection, displaying the taste and elegance of denizens and dressmakers of New York City and upstate through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a trend that has made the city a national and worldwide center of fashion.

Paris had been the fashion capital of the world since the eighteenth century, when it became the home of the first magazines designed to disseminate new styles of dress. By the mid-nineteenth century it was widely accepted that to obtain the most lavish and well-made clothing, one had to travel to France. However, Paris was not the only place where one could acquire an elegant wardrobe.

New York City, home to many of the wealthiest families in nineteenth and early twentieth century America, had its own high-end dressmaking establishments that could compete with the internationally famous houses of couture. Even small cities and towns across the state supported dozens of small-time dressmakers, whose work often met a very high standard.

Free admission for ages 19 and under extended through December 31, 2021!