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Arizona Costume Institute

Name: Arizona Costume Institute
Address: 1625 N Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, US
Telephone: (602) 307-2011
Price range: $

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Arizona Costume Institute

The Arizona Costume Institute was founded in 1966 to support Phoenix Art Museum's Fashion Design Depa We invite you to join today.

ACI is the membership organization that supports the Fashion Design Collection of Phoenix Art Museum. Membership is open to all Phoenix Art Museum members who share a love of fashion. For more information visit ArizonaCostumeInstitute.com or call (602) 307-2011

01/08/2025

⭐️ Opening April 12, 2025 | The World of Anna Sui

Blending rock and roll with romanticism, Anna Sui taps into the timeless nostalgia of fashion’s earlier days and pairs it with her rocker aesthetic. Since premiering her first runway show in 1991, Sui has launched over 80 collections of ready-to-wear garments, accessories, cosmetics, and fragrances through her independent brand, effectively popularizing the boutique fashion look. Through head to toe looks, she has created a graphic, imaginative universe inhabited by alter-egos that draw inspiration from the worlds of cowgirls, grunge girls, hippie chicks, hula girls, Mods, pirate rock stars, Pre-Raphaelite maidens, and surfer nomads.

The World of Anna Sui features approximately 100 ensembles from the renowned designer’s archive, presenting a roll call of 12 archetypes that are staples of the Sui aesthetic. Featuring everything from garments to accessories, hair styles to makeup, scent to sound, the exhibition explores in minute detail the materials, cultural obsessions, and global styles that have inspired Sui for decades. As a special addition to the exhibition, Phxart will present looks from Sui’s recent collection, highlighting her work with experimental paper-like fabrics. Garments from the PhxArt fashion collection will be paired alongside Sui’s body of work, demonstrating the designer’s inspiration from the delicacies and details of former fashion trends.

Learn more about this exciting fashion exhibition at: https://phxart.org/exhibition/the-world-of-anna-sui/

Image credits: Spring Summer 2012 Isetan Mitsukoshi promotion featuring Frida Gustavsson. Image © Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello; Anna Sui, 2011 © Anna Sui

The World of Anna Sui is organized by the Fashion and Textile Museum, London, and curated by Dennis Nothdruft, Head of Exhibitions at the Fashion and Textile Museum, London. Its presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Helen Jean, The Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion, with Catherine Wise, the Hirabayashi Intern in Fashion. In-kind support provided by KJZZ.

The World of Anna Sui at Phoenix Art Museum is presented by Thomas Carlton Rogers II, Jacquie Dorrance/The Dorrance Family Foundation, Arizona Costume Institute, and The Kelly Ellman Fashion Endowment Fund.

Additional support provided by Tran Tran/AXIS Employment Services. In-kind support provided by KJZZ.

All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin.

11/26/2024

🥂💍 ACI Holiday Luncheon | Raffle Ticket Items

The ACI Holiday Luncheon, featuring guest speaker Christian Siriano (), is approaching quickly on Monday, December 9, at the Arizona Biltmore Resort (), so make sure you don’t miss out on PRE-PURCHASING your raffle tickets online for our LUXURY chance-drawing and avoid waiting in the queue the day of the event!

🎟️ Pre-purchased tickets will be available at check-in. Pre-sales end December 2nd at 11:59 pm. Tickets will also be available to purchase at the door.

📣 What you could win:

WIN AN EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK!

🎟️ 2 Tickets to a Christian Siriano Runway Show + access to a VIP Reception

🚨 A live auction for these tickets will be held immediately following the Luncheon Program (This live auction and all of the raffle items are ONLY AVAILABLE for guests attending the luncheon.)

🎟️ Tickets will also be available to purchase at the door.

Get tickets in the link in bio 👆

Thank you to everyone who has generously supported Arizona Costume Institute’s 2024 Holiday Luncheon.

Image credit: Images courtesy of Wunderkind (); Image courtesy of Neiman Marcus (); Image courtesy of Estate Watch and Jewelry ()

10/29/2024

📣 ACI is pleased to announce the 2024 Holiday Luncheon Honorary Chair and Ambassadors!

The 2024 ACI Holiday Luncheon will be held at the Arizona Biltmore Resort on December 9th. This year’s event will honor Valley philanthropist Jacquie Dorrance.

Lauri Termansen, Hillary Sher, and Oscar De las salas will serve as the ambassadors of the annual fundraising event. In their roles, Termansen, Sher, and De las salas will assist with fundraising efforts and spread awareness of ACI, the Holiday Luncheon, and the fashion program at Phoenix Art Museum.

The luncheon has become the Valley’s most anticipated fashion fundraising event of the year that raises vital support for fashion exhibitions, education programs, and acquisitions at Phoenix Art Museum. This year’s event will feature designer Christian Siriano.

❗️Tables of 10 for the 2024 ACI Holiday Luncheon are sold out.

🎟️ Limited individual tickets can be purchased by clicking the link in bio: https://11000a.blackbaudhosting.com/11000a/ACI-Holiday-Luncheon

Image credits: Images courtesy of Phoenix Art Museum.

09/30/2024

Arizona Costume Institute and PhxArt are excited to announce the 2024 ACI Holiday Luncheon featuring Christian Siriano. 👗

This year’s Holiday Luncheon on Monday, December 9, 2024 will be hosted at Arizona Biltmore Resort. The event will feature a champagne reception, luxury item raffle, lunch, and program with the renowned fashion designer.

Individual tickets will be available starting today, September 30th.
Get tickets at: https://shorturl.at/R0tzX

To inquire about sponsorship opportunities or underwriting, please contact [email protected].

Image credit: Image courtesy of Christian Siriano.

08/30/2024

Make a Splash 🌊 👙😎

This , admire these slaying swimsuits from different eras of fashion history! From the 1970s (left), to the 1930s (center) to the early 1900s (right), there is a clear delineation of how the garments fits the wearer, and how that illustrates the social mores of the time, as well as the practicality of the garment in the water.

Do you think these bathing suits were simply worn for leisure, or do you think they were practical enough for actual swimming?

Image credit: Giorgio di Sant'Angelo, Swimsuit, 1978-1979, lycra, Gift of Mrs. Kelly Ellman; Unknown, Bathing Suit - Women's, 1930s, wool, Gift of T**i Halle; Unknown, Lady's bathing suit, 1906, cotton, piping (white), Gift of Mrs. Mona Mackley

08/08/2024

🔥Fearlessly Functional Feline Fashion🔥

This , check out this puuurfect Japanese firefighter coat, depicting a fearsome scene of a growling tiger. The garment was previously featured in the exhibition Beauty and Function: Japanese Folk Art from the Mayro-Strelitz Collection.

During the Edo period (1615–1868), firefighters were highly respected in Japanese society due to their necessity in urban environments, where wooden buildings and crowded homes experienced frequent accidental fires. This reversible coat is a characteristic hikeshi-banten of the period that firefighters would have worn during their duties. As they fought fires, they would wear the plain side of the coat. After the fire was extinguished, they’d reverse the coat and wear the decorative side, symbolizing a successful outcome.

The above coat depicts a growling tiger, which could symbolize strength and fearlessness. It is an outstanding example of the concept of mingei, which was developed in 1920s Japan by philosophers and craftspeople to challenge the narrow definition of art and uplift the beauty of everyday objects created by average people.

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🔥 Don’t forget this is the last week to see the most current Asian installations and exhibitions: The Collection: Art of Asia and Princely States of the Punjab: Sikh Art and History before they close this Sunday, August 11! 🔥

Image credits: Installation views of Beauty and Function: Japanese Folk Art from the Mayro-Strelitz Collection, 2022, Phoenix Art Museum.

Work cited: ”Japanese Firemen’s Coats (19th century),” The Public Domain Review. https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/japanese-firemans-coats-19th-century/

08/02/2024

Take a peek 👀 inside the PhxArt fashion collection, with this bathing suit that made a scandalous splash💧by leaving nothing to the imagination! This 1964 ”topless” design was created by American fashion designer Rudi Gernreich, modeled by actress Peggy Moffitt, and photographed by William Claxton. The wool swimsuit (YES, wool!) made waves due to its racy design that spoke to the sexual revolution of the 1960s 🌼

Did you know that as far back as the 1910s, wool was actually a very common and fashionable bathing suit material? The textile’s fiber density makes it highly water repellent, and its use for swimwear only became less common when synthetic woven fibers became more widely available. 🐑

Image credit: Peggy Moffitt modeling the topless swim suit designed by Rudi Gernreich, 1964. Photograph © William Claxton, LLC, courtesy of Demont Photo Management & Fahey/Klein Gallery Los Angeles, with permission of the Rudi Gernreich trademark; Rudi Gernreich, Black wool "topless" bathing suit, wool, Gift of Kelly Ellman.

07/12/2024

✨Save the Date for the most anticipated fashion fundraising event of the year!✨

On December 9, 2024, Arizona Costume Institute will host its annual Holiday Luncheon, and this year's event will be co-chaired by Barbara Lytle and Catherine Tuton.

Barbara Lytle is President of the Hugh and Barbara Lytle Foundation, a non-profit foundation based in Scottsdale whose mission is to create a more inclusive and loving world by supporting community organizations that create safe environments for those that are vulnerable and in need of support. The foundation has a specific focus on Arizona-based non-profit organizations that work with women, children, underserved populations, and the arts. Notable organizations include Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, one•n•ten, Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels, and Arizona Costume Institute.

Catherine Tuton has a passion for serving her community and making a positive impact on the lives of others. With a love for philanthropy and a heart for giving back, she has been actively involved in various charitable endeavors over the past three decades. She embarked on her early career as an interior designer, bringing beauty and functionality into people's lives through her creative vision. Since then, she has been involved in various charitable organizations in California and Arizona, such as Girl’s Inc., A21, Phoenix Heart Ball, American Heart Association’s Women of Impact, Go Red for Women’s Executive Team, and Arizona Costume Institute, among others.

The 2024 ACI Holiday Luncheon speaker and other event details, including a link to purchase tickets, are forthcoming! Be the first to learn about the Holiday Luncheon speaker, ticketing information, and other exciting programs by joining ACI at: arizonacostumeinstitute.org/join

Image credit: Image courtesy of Phoenix Art Museum.

06/22/2024

The historical uniform of the matador is like no other, almost instantly recognizable as the “Spanish bullfighting costume.” Originating from the 18th century, the ensemble--known officially as el traje de luces (“suit of lights“)--features brilliant gold detailing. In fact, there can often be 12 miles of gold thread embroidered into an individual suit.

Worn by toreros, or Spanish bullfighters, the hand-sewn garment is made using traditional techniques passed down through generations within a family business. As many as 50 people can work on one suit for several months, requiring skilled and frequent fittings with the torero to perfect the fit of the garment, which is expertly stitched through seven layers of fabric that help protect from a bull’s puncturing horns. Today, very few people in Spain specialize in crafting the ensemble.

Originally, the design for los trajes de luces was greatly influenced by traditional attire worn by members of the Spanish lower class. They were often adorned with galos de platas, a similar design to military badges worn by nobles, to indicate the toreros’ status as hometown heroes.

The design of the “suit of lights” changed significantly when the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya created bullfighting-inspired works. In them, he formed an amalgamation of the suit design with styles from the French court. The design continued to evolve through the ages, and by the 19th century, silver thread replaced gold to denote bullfighters that were not at an elite level of fighting.

Even though bullfighting is viewed as highly controversial in modern society, the artistry of los trajes de luces still inspires haute couture designers to this day.

Check out the incredible opulence of the suit on view now in The Power of Pink exhibition through July 7! Learn more at: https://phxart.org/exhibition/pink/

Image credit: Installation view of The Power of Pink, 2024. Phoenix Art Museum.

05/14/2024

The blushing bride 🎊 💖💐

Nothing quite says romance like shades of rosé! 🩷 During the 1950s, pink became an “it” color for women, not just in the home but in fashion, and for a time pink wedding dresses were en vogue.

ACI member Bonnie Gibson shared these heartwarming images from the wedding of her parents, Gail King and John Gibson, on June 6, 1954. Enjoy these Kodachrome slides, which show a glimpse of the bride’s blush-hued wedding day.

Explore the beauty of pink fashion in The Power of Pink exhibition, which has its own rosy-hued 1950s wedding dress on view now through July 7.

Learn more at: https://phxart.org/exhibition/pink/

Image credits: Courtesy of Bonnie Gibson; Custom Wedding Gown, 1955. American acetate satin and cotton lace with bead embroidery. Lent by the Estate of Nancy Youngman of Flagstaff, Arizona. Kenneth J. Lane (American, founded 1962) Necklace, mid 20th century, pearl with rhinestone clasp. Gift of Mr. Vernon Taylor, Jr. and Family.

02/20/2023

“Even as she sits / in her seat in the / theater watching / the dancers in their / glitter and tulle, / the woman in this dress / sparkles right back, / her every breath / retracted in glints / and gleams, while she is still, / her dress moves, as sensitive as as a / souffle, its embroidered layers …”
– Nancy Dalva 🩰

Excerpted from a poem on view now as part of MOVE: The Modern Cut of Geoffrey Beene, the exhibition features fashion objects merged with written word, historical runway footage, new video interviews, and more, showcasing the colorful, imaginative fashions of the late designer 👗

Image credit: Geoffrey Beene, Dress, not dated. Tulle, lace, sequins. Gift of Patsy Tarr.

02/15/2023

‼️ NEXT WEEK ‼️

ACI members are invited to enjoy cocktails and engage in a fashion conversation with .

🎟️ FREE for ACI Members
🎟️ $5 for nonmembers

Guest speaker Hermann Plank will talk fashion in the digital sphere, with his presentation going into detail on NFTs and providing a first glance on how fashion designers and brands can mint their own designs, and customers can buy and trade fashion NFTs.

Join us for a 5:30 pm reception, followed by the 6:30 pm lecture. 🕥

See you there! 👠

Address

1625 N Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ
85004

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 9pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	12pm - 5pm

Telephone

(602) 307-2011

Website

http://www.arizonacostumeinstitute.com/

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