Doll Dressing

Doll Dressingcenters on the longstanding connections between dolls and high fashion. Historically,
dolls operated as miniature fashion models—they were shipped around Europe and abroad,
communicating the latest styles in three-dimensional detail. By the early twentieth
century, dolls were not merely sharing the latest trends, but setting them. Curated
by Dr. Colleen Hill, senior curator of costume, the exhibition explores the ways in
which dolls have influenced fashion and dressed appearance. Doll dressing takes many
forms, ranging from the appeal of youthful baby doll dresses, to the 2D quality of
"paper doll" looks, to the influence of creepy dolls on fashion. It encompasses clothing
and accessories, hair and makeup, and even movement and gestures that take their cue
from dolls. Beginning with a brief history of fashion dolls from the eighteenth century
to the present,Doll Dressingcontinues with designs from Marc Jacobs, Patrick Kelly, Lanvin, Jeremy Scott for Moschino,
Martin Margiela, Anna Sui, and many others.Image: Moschino Couture (Jeremy Scott), trompe l'oeil printed jacket and skirt, spring
2017, museum purchases, 2028.9.1-2.