Women designers devised revolutionary new styles for women that reflected their worlds. Across Europe and the U.S. in the 20th century, women pushed away from being relegated to the domestic sphere and actively resisted the confining social systems that gave men more power.
The fashion world—especially new women designers and leaders—responded with vigor. Hemlines rose and fell. Cut and drape shifted to match women’s rising needs and desires. Innovative techniques in design and construction prevailed.
Swings in sartorial silhouette represent pivotal movements in our history and mirror the freedoms women gained along the way. Look across the ensembles in this gallery—do you think women design differently than men?
Maggy Rouff, “Lucerne” dress (detail), 1949 . Kunstmuseum Den Haag, 0331925. © Kunstmuseum Den Haag. Photo by Alice de Groot.
Explore the sections
Past Exhibition: Made It
Section 1: Breaking in
Past Exhibition: Made It
Section 2: Gaining Momentum
Past Exhibition: Made It
Section 4: Making Choices
Past Exhibition: Made It
Section 5: Designing for Change
Past Exhibition
Made It: The Women Who Revolutionized Fashion
November 21, 2020 to March 14, 2021