Department of Special Collections and FIT Archives

New acquisition alert!

The Special Collections and FIT Archive received a new collection titled the “Helen Oppenheim Papers” that document her career as an art director and press agent for Vidal Sassoon and La Coupe. Oppenheim also worked as a journalist covering hair trends and fashion for over 50 years!

This post highlights photos from Lluís Llongueras’ four volume series titled “El Método Llongueras” from the 1970s. These photos are from Volume IV “Pemanentados y Coloraciones”.

Friday Foster was a syndicated newspaper comic strip written by Jim Lawrence and illustrated by Jorge Longarón from 1970-1974. The comics follow Friday Foster, a fashion model turned photographer’s assistant, through her travels, triumphs, romances, and tribulation. It was one of the first comic strips to feature an African-American woman as its protagonist.

If you are interested in seeing our collection of Friday Foster comics, please make an appointment at the link in our bio!

An exciting new donation to the archives! These four gorgeous lithographic prints from 1988 by artist George Stavrinos (1948-1990) were advertisements for Bergdorf Goodman featured in GQ Magazine.

With a publishing date of 1914, this advertising booklet “The Story of My Life” by “Billie Button” was published to highlight the Wisconsin Pearl Button Company by following the autobiographical account of a button from its start as a clamshell in the Mississippi River to its final home on a girl’s dress in Indiana.

The booklet’s prose is witty and informative, all while reminding the reader that all steps of the Wisconsin Pearl Button Company’s manufacturing progress are made by and made for Americans.

Back by popular demand! Here are some more pages from The Muppet Show Style Book from 1978🐸☕️

Meep! Meep! What a find!

Magnificent Italian Boeing Pelliccerie coats from 1980-1981🐈‍⬛

Donated film legend Doris Duke, Collection 91 features fashion illustrations from the 1940s created by MGM costume designer Irene Lentz.

The woman featured in the illustrations is unnamed, but that hasn’t stopped us from making guesses! Millicent Rogers? Bette Davis? Who do you think?

Black Rap, a student led publication, serves as an integral part of FIT History. Every issue of Black Rap is full of poignant cultural and political critiques as well as poetry and artwork, all created by Black FIT students in the late 60s and early 70s.

If you are interested in delving deeper into the cultural history of FIT, make an appointment through the link in our bio!