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Fashion from the 1970s - 2000s
Narrated by Dr. Valerie Steele, Director & Chief Curator for the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology
The 1970s witnessed the rise of anti-fashion sentiment, especially in the USA, as everyone demanded the right to wear whatever they wanted. Minis, midis, maxis, trouser suits all coexisted. Journalist Tom Wolfe dubbed it the “Me Decade”. But many fashion designers had tremendous success with their individual styles. The most famous American designer was Halston, known for his sexy Studio 54 disco dresses. Black designers like Stephen Burrows also achieved success, and Calvin Klein made blue jeans ultra-fashionable. The 1980s became notorious as the decade of money and excess, with elite men wearing Armani and women wearing Chanel. Meanwhile, New York designer Ralph Lauren featured on the cover of Time Magazine with the headline, “Selling That Sporty Look”. The 1990s reacted against the 80s by emphasizing minimalism, epitomized by Calvin Klein’s slip dresses. Youth styles continued to influence fashion as Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui channeled the grunge aesthetic. Hip-hop was a more long-lasting influence in looks ranging from street style to high fashion.
