In 1995, the Historic Costume
and Textiles Collection purchased five 19th century garments from the
estate of Ethel Traphagen, and received 69 others as a donation from her
heirs. Ethel Traphagen, a fashion designer who is credited with
introducing shorts and slacks into American women's fashion, founded the
Traphagen School of Fashion in New York City in the 1920s. The school
was known for its technical orientation of fashion design, with courses
in pattern making and draping. The school closed its doors in the early
1990s. Some of the better known names in the fashion industry attended
the Traphagen School of Fashion. Alumni members include: Geoffrey Beene,
James Gallanos, Mary McFadden, John Kloss, Christos Yiannakou, and
African-American designer Franklin Rowe.
The Traphagen collection at the Historic
Costume and Textiles Collection consists of 74 garments and 33 assorted
hats. The costumes range in date from the 1830s to the 1910s, with
particular strength in the 1890s. The hats date from the 1820s up to the
early 1950s. The Traphagen collection includes garments exemplifying the
silhouettes of the 19th century, others are remarkable for their fabrics
and opulence, and a few have French labels.
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