Research & Creative
Written by team members, students and guest authors, this assortment of posts features artifacts from the Fashion Research Collection. From object-based research to creative exploration, each post takes a dive into a different item housed within the collection. Use the categories on the left to view posts about specific topics.
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Please note that our researchers and students have made every effort to properly cite all images. Failure to obtain proper image permissions (if required) is unintentional. We welcome any information that would allow our authors to correct their post.
(PDF file) Taking Flight Emilio Pucci and His Influence on Class and Jet Age (opens in new window)
Using a material culture approach, Bianca Zanotti analyses an Emilio Pucci dress to consider how the designer's work represented a new class and culture of women in the 1960s.
(PDF file) Recurring Romanticisms (opens in new window)
Isabella Pellegrino considers the historical context of a romantic dress from the early 20th century and how it may have been used to mentally escape reality.
(PDF file) Beading a Visual Psychology: A Study of an Evening Purse (opens in new window)
Denisa Marginean argues that both a 1930s evening purse and the famous Rorschach prints belong to a visual shift towards abstraction.
(PDF file) Velvet: Comfort or Culture? (opens in new window)
Prompted by personal experiences, Rehab Patel performs a close reading of a 1970s Afghani dress to learn how clothing influences cross-cultural identity and belonging for Afghani-Canadians.
(PDF file) Plight of the Ryerson Copycat Lucite Bag (opens in new window)
Laura Dionne performs object-based research on a replica Lucite purse to learn about the decade-long trend of the 1950s.
(PDF file) Is There a Future for Fur? (opens in new window)
Yuting Tang takes a close look at a mink fur collar and the association of fur and luxury within a Canadian context while considering animal rights.
(PDF file) Bridalwear: Romantic Historicism in the Late 19th Century
Erin Colquhoun takes an in-depth look at bridalwear during the Victorian era while examining a delicate gown from the time period.
(PDF file) Gucci: Overview of Ready to Wear Design (opens in new window)
Olena Vivcharyuk discusses the history of famed Italian fashion house, Gucci, paying particular attention to their RTW collection through the analysis of a Gucci cream coat with a fox-fur collar.
(PDF file) Imagining a Future of Disposability: Paper Fashion (opens in new window)
Bianca Garcia eflects on the relationship between the marketing of the paper dress as new technology and the futuristic thinking around outer space in the late 1960s.
(PDF file) Haori: An Aspect of Culture
Benedikte Goronga compares and contrasts the materiality between two Japanese haori jackets, one belonging to the FRC, and the other from a privately owned collection.
(PDF file) 1920s Brocade Opera Coat Reflecting Feminism and the “Modern Girl” (opens in new window)
Through the analysis of a 1920s opera coat, Dianna De Angelis discusses the rise of feminism and the birth of the "Modern Girl" in Canada.
(PDF file) Analysis of a 20th Century Boudoir Cap (opens in new window)
Madison Schmidt writes about the practicality of a 1900s boudoir cap and its historical symbolism of femininity.
(PDF file) Peacock Revolution
By examining a 1960s velveteen paisley blazer, Kaleigh Morris studies a period of change in men's fashion known as the peacock revolution.
(PDF file) Yvonne Lin: Analysis of the White Slashed Leather Minidress (opens in new window)
By analyzing an intricate garment created by TMU alum Yvonne Lin, Julia Birnie explores the use of 3D technology within fashion.
(PDF file) Oscar de la Renta: The History Behind the Boutique Label (opens in new window)
Brook Lindzon studies a 1970s Oscar de la Renta jumpsuit and the history behind boutique collections
(PDF file) Issey Miyake Trousers (opens in new window)
To learn how a pair of Pleats Please trousers by Issey Miyake fits into his design vernacular, Fedlande Fenelon and Eiro Issakidis take a deep dive into the designer's techniques and influences over the course of his forty-year career.
(PDF file) Did Mary Quant’s designs conform to or defy the gender roles of the 1960’s? (opens in new window)
Mariam Mansour and Samika Chadha question if the Ginger Group line was size friendly and its influence on Western women's fashion in the 21st century.
(PDF file) Collage Through Feminism and Textile (opens in new window)
Tricia Crivellaro illuminates the work of textile designer, Makiko Minagawa and seeks to understand how feminism can be evoked through a blanket coat created by the artist.
(PDF file) Military Influence on Fashion: The Bomber Jacket (opens in new window)
Sara Abraham discusses how the bomber jacket symbolized the shift from practicality to aesthetics in fashion.
(PDF file) Case Study of A Ballet Costume Headpiece From Raymonda (opens in new window)
By interviewing the original wearer, Julia Brucculieri learns more about the National Ballet of Canada's production of Raymonda, Act III.
(PDF file) The Celluloid Hair Comb and Its Troublesome Existence (opens in new window)
Sonali Prasad discusses the rich and troublesome history of the celluloid hair comb and the development of hair accessories.
(PDF file) A Mugler Mystery (opens in new window)
Tori Hopgood explores the idea of clothing as a symbol of power by performing object-based research on a 1990s Mugler skirt suit.
(PDF file) A Handbag's Tale (opens in new window)
Sonali Prasad discusses the rich and troublesome history of the celluloid hair comb and the development of hair accessories.
(PDF file) Cree Round Dance Cape (opens in new window)
This article highlights the importance of a 1960s round dance cape from the Cree region in Western Saskatchewan.
(PDF file) The Kimono and the Haori (opens in new window)
Jennifer Dares & Cecilia Martins Gomes discuss how a kimono and a haori housed by the FRC demonstrate sustainability through practice and design.
(PDF file) Sustainability and the Jumpsuit (opens in new window)
Emilie Chan and Zoe Yin question the sustainability of paper as a textile by considering elements of sustainable design and the current fashion landscape.
(PDF file) Julian Rose, the Forgotten Dressmaker (opens in new window)
Anya Georgijevic questions why designer Julian Rose seemed to have disappeared from the British fashion scene despite the important role he played in shaping it.
(PDF file) The Journey of a Chinese Robe (opens in new window)
Tori Hopgood explores the history, construction, and symbolism of a late 1800s Chinese robe by comparing it to similar robes.
(PDF file) Reading a Cape (opens in new window)
Tori Hopgood dates a T. Eaton Co. cape by performing a comparative analysis and considering the history of typography.
(PDF file) Elite Syncopations Leotards (opens in new window)
Teresa Adamo studies the construction and role of two seemingly identical ballet costumes.
(PDF file) Making History: Inspired by Courréges (opens in new window)
Shira Yavor recreates a 1960s raincoat designed by André Courrèges.
(PDF file) The Top Hat of E.J Lennox (opens in new window)
Through analysis and research, author Amanda Memme learns more about the original owner of a top hat from the 1890s.
(PDF file) Assembling the Puzzle of Jack Liebman’s Career (opens in new window)
Hannah Dobbie conducts archival research to learn more about the life and career of Canadian fashion designer, Jack Liebman, who made an impact on the industry that few know about.
(PDF file) Making History: A Romantic Tutu (opens in new window)
Inspired by the Pas de Quatre ballet, Allycia Coolidge and Joanna Lupker design and create a Romantic tutu.
(PDF file) A Weston and Wells Reversible Plated Bustle (opens in new window)
Christine Gow questions the practicality of a wire sports bustle and the historical context that would call for such a garment.
(PDF file) An Ode to Claire McCardell (opens in new window)
Jenn Bilczuk discusses how the changing social landscape of the 1940s elevated Claire McCardell's simple yet style designs into fashion discourse.
(PDF file) A Study of a 1940s Cocktail Dress by Jack Liebman (opens in new window)
Hannah Dobbie discusses how a 1940s Jack Liebman dress blurs the perception of typical dresses from this time period.
(PDF file) A Study of a Ballet Costume from Symphony in C (opens in new window)
Teresa Adamo takes a look at how a plain white tutu donated by the National Ballet of Canada reveals more than meets the eye.
(PDF file) An Analysis of a Women’s Frock Coat by Rei Kawakubo (opens in new window)
By analyzing a 1990s frock coat, Jordan Nguyen explores Rei Kawakubo's continuing influence on design, Japanese design aesthetics, and gender neutrality.
(PDF file) A Study of Design Elements in 1930s Bridal Wear (opens in new window)
By comparing wedding dresses from the 1930s, Hannah Dobbie seeks to better understand the context of an FRC wedding dress.
(PDF file) Mary Hamilton's Wedding Dress (opens in new window)
Hannah Dobbie analyzes a wedding gown from the 1930s and its original wearer.
(PDF file) A Peek Inside a Pumpkin Yellow Corset (opens in new window)
Pam Johnstone writes a short story as a creative interpretation of an object analysis exercise.
(PDF file) An 1850s Child Paisley Dress (opens in new window)
Pam Johnstone writes a short story as a creative interpretation of an object analysis exercise.
(PDF file) A Comparison of 1860s Dresses (opens in new window)
Alys Mak-Pilsworth compares an 1860s dress from the FRC to similar dresses in other collections.
(PDF file) Smythe Les Vestes (opens in new window)
Jennifer Braun examines a tweed jacket and the unique history of the Canadian company that designed it.
(PDF file) Mulhallen's Muglers (opens in new window)
Annika Waddell questions if the pre-appointed biography or personality of a garment imposed by a designer ever intersects with the identity of the consumer.
(PDF file) Portrait of a Little Black Dress (opens in new window)
By analyzing a black Pauline Trigère cocktail dress, Gabrielle Trach explores the history of the LBD.
(PDF file) The Language of the Kimono (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida examines a kimono purchased by the donor's grandparents in the 1930s.
(PDF file) A Bed Jacket by Mercy (opens in new window)
Jennifer Braun takes a deep dive into how a bed jacket made by Canadian designers became the subject of an international case of copyright infringement.
(PDF file) Inside a Dolce & Gabbana Fur Coat (opens in new window)
Millie Yates studies the remarkable design elements of a 1990s Dolce & Gabbana jacket, including the hand-painted leather.
(PDF file) The Arsenic Green Dress (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida shares the results of arsenic testing on a green-pigmented dress from the late 1800s.
(PDF file) The Enduring Fedora (opens in new window)
Millie Yates explores the history and legacy of the fedora through object analysis of a felted-gray hat by Phillip Treacy.
(PDF file) Ensemble by Chloe (opens in new window)
Jazmin Welch studies the work of female designer, Gaby Aghion, founder of the fashion house, Chloé.
(PDF file) A Dissection of a Wool Jacket by Christian Dior (opens in new window)
Author Millie Yates performs object-based research on a Christian Dior jacket from the 1950s.
(PDF file) Study of a Summer Day Dress (opens in new window)
Alys Mak-Pilsworth explores a muslin day dress from the mid-19th century through analysis and drawing.
(PDF file) A Close Look at a Lady's Velveteen Jacket (opens in new window)
Jessica Oakes closely examines the construction of a purple velveteen jacket.
(PDF file) A Close Look at a 1950s Wool Jacket by Dior (opens in new window)
Enticed by the subtle complexity, Millie Yates studies the construction of a Dior boucle jacket.
(PDF file) Thinking of Spring Flowers (opens in new window)
Inspired by the hopefulness of Spring, Dr. Ingrid Mida highlights floral patterned dresses in the FRC.
(PDF file) It’s All About the Coat (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida features coats from the FRC Designer Archive.
(PDF file) A 1920’s Embroidered Evening Coat (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida discusses the history of a 1920s black satin evening coat from Holt Renfrew.
(PDF file) Hanae Mori Velvet Shift Dress (opens in new window)
Kimberly Lecky writes about who might have been the original wearer of a Hanae Mori dress from the 1970s.
(PDF file) Embellished Silk Crepe Evening Jacket (opens in new window)
Kristina McMullin and Dr. Ingrid Mida examine a decorative jacket and discuss the intersection between fashion and art, and argue against fast fashion.
(PDF file) Resource List for Canadian Fashion (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida provides a compiled list of sources for students and scholars to use as inspiration and for research purposes.
(PDF file) Of Shirtwaists and the Modern Woman (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida explores the history and production of shirtwaists in the 1900s.
(PDF file) A Ceremonial Cap (opens in new window)
Kate O'Reilly examines the details of a 1940s ceremonial cap and its original owner.
(PDF file) The Bowler Hat (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida explores the history of bowler hats, touching upon their origin and their use during the late 1800s and early 1900s
(PDF file) Of Hats and History (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida looks at the meaning of hats as a signifier of status, power and class.
(PDF file) A Made in Canada Success Story: Smythe Jackets (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida celebrates the brand Smythe by examining the tailored jackets created by Canadian design duo Christie Smythe and Andrea Lenczner.
(PDF file) A Marilyn Brooks Evening Gown (opens in new window)
Reflecting on her experiences with the Canadian designer, Dr. Ingrid Mida speaks to the importance of Marilyn Brooks's 40-year career.
(PDF file) Evening Gowns and Canadian Designer Ruth Dukas (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida highlights the work of Canadian designer Ruth Dukas, who remained largely unknown until the 1960s.
(PDF file) Evening Gowns and Canadian Designer Pat McDonagh (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida explores two evening ensembles by acclaimed Canadian fashion designer, Pat McDonagh.
(PDF file) The Muff (opens in new window)
By analyzing two muffs housed in the FRC, Dr. Ingrid Mida compares the differences between historical and contemporary muffs.
(PDF file) The Reversible Player Sports Bustle (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida writes about the use of wire bustles from the 1880s.
(PDF file) Black Silk Parasol (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida discusses the historical and contextual significance of parasols in the 1900s.
(PDF file) 1890s Wedding Slippers (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida writes about the social history behind a pair of satin wedding slippers from 1889.
(PDF file) The Patricia Rogal Collection of Photographs (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida reviews a large donation of photographs dating 1860-1920 that can help students understand the fashion of the time period.
(PDF file) The Kathleen Kubas Collection (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida details the story of how the FRC received its largest donation of over 700 garments and accessories from the family of Kathleen Kubas, a former model, actress, and schoolteacher in Toronto.
(PDF file) Labels in the FRC (opens in new window)
Dr. Ingrid Mida examines designer labels from the Designer Archive and highlights the history of labels in fashion.