FIDM Fights to Save 400 years of Priceless Fashion
by Kelby Vera
FIDM’s museum boasts nearly 15,000 items in its complete archives, from modern swimwear to victorian-era shoes, but one of its oldest and most unique collections is in imminent danger.
The Helen Larson Historic Collection is made up of 1,400 pieces of European dress wear for men, women and children. Some pieces date back to as early as the 1600's, but the bulk of the collection focuses on 18th and 19th century garments from Europe, all of which are in exquisite condition.
“It’s truly unbelievable. When you stand in the galleries and look at some of these pieces you cannot believe that they’re actually two or three hundred years old,” said Kevin Jones, curator of the museum.
The collection had been on long-term lease to FIDM until earlier this year when the Larson family announced their plans to sell the collection in its entirety.
Helen Larson came from a middle-class background, born and raised in Southern California. She amassed her collection over five decades, primarily during the ‘50s and ‘60s, traveling through Europe and meticulously hunting.
During Larson’s lifetime, museums were not extensively collecting garments or textiles, so it was up to independent, private collectors to find and conserve these pieces.
Larson was peculiar in comparison to the other collectors of her era, who were either delicate, young heiresses or wives of the hyper-wealthy.
She financed her collection independently, creating a business from renting out her lesser-finds to the film and theater world. Larson’s idea was truly innovative, letting her pursue collecting consistently for decades.
The collection consumed her world. Larson kept her entire collection in her home, filling her children’s closets, obscuring the fireplace with the rolling racks and overwhelming the house with fabric and history. In addition to her sublime collection of garments Larson was an autodidactic archivist. She collected primary source periodicals and fashion plates in order to put her collection in context.
Larson had an eye for the finest materials and impeccable workmanship. From a peek at the collection, you can get a glimpse of Larson’s taste.
“She wanted the fancy schmancy. She was not interested in miners’ work wear. She was definitely interested in what was trendy [during the era] and what the rich people were wearing,” said Jones.
Larson’s collection contains some of the only authentic European regalia kept and collected in the United States. The collection includes clothes from all matters of European royalty: dresses from three empresses, six queens and ten princesses. If auctioned off, it’s likely most of these one-of-a-kind pieces will be repatriated to their countries of origin.
“[If nothing is done] the collection will be broken up, and 50 years of this woman’s truly dedicated work could be lost in an afternoon,” Jones stresses.
FIDM has embarked on a fundraising campaign called “4 for 400” to save the Larson collection. Although the campaign has been successful, FIDM is still shy of their final goal.
“We have a lot of people who have supported the ‘4 for 400’ [campaign]. They’ve reposted it, they’ve reblogged it. They’ve done all sorts of things…That’s great. We want as many people to find out about this as possible, but we also need people to give.”
The museum is asking for donations of support as small as $4, which can be sent effortlessly via text.
FIDM is also finding other creative ways to raise funds. Through an adoption program, more affluent donors can become long term patrons of their favorite ensembles.
“We’ve got an adoption program [where] you can have your name put on any piece that you’re interested in and it stays on it permanently. So whenever we exhibit it, if we loan it to another institution, if the piece is published, [then] that person’s name is kept on those pieces forevermore.” So you can have your name beneath Princess Charlotte’s hand-beaded gown forever… if you have $10k lying around.
Jones is emphatic about the kind of history that clothing lets us explore. To him, it’s like time-travel.
“You can look at a painting of an individual beautifully dressed, and then if you’re looking at the actual dress, it’s astounding, because you can walk around and engage with that person. They’re still in the dress.”
Most of what we know will be consumed by time. Disintegrated, immolated, forgotten. For the relics that were able to elude those fates, let’s not be too hasty. If you are quiet, they might end up having something interesting to say.
To contribute to FIDM’s campaign you can donate online, text ‘MUSEUM’ to 243725, or visit the museum and make a contribution in person. The deadline to raise funds is December 31st, so don’t hesitate. Share the hashtag #4For400to if you want to show more support for the campaign.
Reach Staff Reporter Kelby Vera here.
