Exhibitions

Fashionable Frocks of the 1920s

August 28, 2021–January 9, 2022

Just before arriving in Albany for a week of fashion shows and talks in 1925, French fashion authority Marceline D'Alroy commented, "I have heard women in Albany are as smart, as up to date, as keen about styles and fashion as the women of New York City."

The exhibition Fashionable Frocks of the 1920s showcases more than twenty-five rarely-seen dresses from the Albany Institute's historic clothing collection to explore fashion trends and transformations from an infamous era. With inspiration from French fashion plates and rich colors, fascinating fabrics, and eye-catching accessories, this exhibition is not-to-be-missed!

As visitors will see, fashion of the 1920s amounted to much more than the quintessential flapper's dress.

Just before arriving in Albany for a week of fashion shows and talks in 1925, French fashion authority Marceline D'Alroy commented, "I have heard women in Albany are as smart, as up to date, as keen about styles and fashion as the women of New York City."

The exhibition Fashionable Frocks of the 1920s showcases more than twenty-five rarely-seen dresses from the Albany Institute's historic clothing collection to explore fashion trends and transformations from an infamous era. With inspiration from French fashion plates and rich colors, fascinating fabrics, and eye-catching accessories, this exhibition is not-to-be-missed!

As visitors will see, fashion of the 1920s amounted to much more than the quintessential flapper's dress.

Exhibition Support

Thank you to our exhibition sponsors:

Leading support has been provided by Times Union and by The Michele L. Vennard Hospitality Grant Program of the Albany County Convention and Visitors' Bureau Fund of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region.

Special thanks to The Costumer for their collaboration and partnership.

Additional support has been provided by Douglas L. Cohn, D.V.M. Alan P. Goldberg William M. Harris and Holly A. Katz, Fred and Donna Hershey, Barbara K. Hoehn, Christine Miles Kelliher, Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Marwill, Magda and Gus Mininberg, Nancy and Donald Newkirk, Evelyn D. Trebilcock, Lynette and Michael Tucker, Mr. and Mrs. John Walsh, III, and Arlen Westbrook.

Season exhibition and program support is provided by Phoebe Powell Bender, Mr. and Mrs. George R. Hearst III, Charles M. Liddle III, Lois and David Swawite, and the Carl E. Touhey Foundation, Inc.

Program and exhibition support is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

"Bab, La Robe de Jeunesse, Hand Made in France, Paris" c. 1925, silk with glass beads and sequins, Albany Institute of History & Art, gift of Minnie Moore Duncan, 1943.29.16.1-2