Out of the Closet and Into the Street: Queering the Fashion Research Collection

“We’re thrilled to see the FRC come alive in such a dynamic and inclusive way,” says Eve Townsend, Director of the FRC. “Our students creatively reimagined several FRC objects through a Queer lens. They’ve filled gaps in our current collection and carved out important space for themselves and others.”

Queering the Archive

The exhibit connects artifacts from the FRC to historical Queer figures, movements, and symbols by incorporating signifiers like carnations, buttons, and hankies, which have historically expressed Queer identity, politics, and desire. 

“This exhibit highlights that we are a contemporary research collection, one that is alive and generative of new meanings and interpretations,” Townsend adds.