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Madeleine Vionnet, Woman’s Evening Dress, 1925. Silk satin with gold-foiled glass bugle beads and silver metallic-wrapped cord trim. Purchased with funds provided by Ellen A. Michelson

 

Jeanne Lanvin, Woman’s Evening Dress, circa 1935. Silk plain weave (crêpe), with silver metallic sequins. Purchased with funds provided by Ellen A. Michelson

 

Jean Dessès, Woman’s Evening Dress, 1956. Silk plain weave (organza). Purchased with funds provided by Ellen A. Michelson

 

Alexander McQueen, Woman’s Dress, Fall 2007. Leather with gold- and silver-metallic thread embroidery and fox fur. Purchased with funds provided by Ellen A. Michelson

 

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You could go to one of LA’s many vintage stores to browse a vast selection of chic 20th-century designer clothing…or you could take a trip to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in the near future. LACMA is adding 158 couture fashion items to their costume collection, made possible by a donation from Ellen A. Michelson. The acquisition encompasses daywear and eveningwear from 1880 to 2008, including looks by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Christian Lacroix, Jeanne Lanvin, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and Paco Rabanne, among many others. French designers, such as the iconic Coco Chanel, are especially well represented. 

Curated by Dominique Sirop—who has worked with Yves Saint Laurent and Hubert de Givenchy and currently runs his own haute atelier—the display will focus on expert craftsmanship by spotlighting unique pattern-making and pristine tailoring. The museum also recently acquired the Betty Kirke Pattern Archives of Madeleine Vionnet, offering visitors exclusive glimpses at Vionnet’s paper patterns, slides, photographs, and more. Both acquisitions help to make LACMA’s growing costume and textiles collection one of the most extensive in the US. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-City West, 323-857-6000