DRESS, DREAMS & DESIRE: FASHION & PSYCHOANALYSIS @ FIT MUSEUM

2 pieces from Dream Interpretation, part of FIT's new Dress, Dreams & Desire: Fashion & Psychoanalysis  exhibit

Stepping into the Museum at FIT’s Dress, Dreams & Desire: Fashion & Psychoanalysis, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would the exploration of psychoanalysis turn tawdry, or would the themes remain nuanced and intellectual? As for the fashion—would simple and subtly sophisticated outpace bold and brazen? With so many potential angles, Valerie Steele’s five-year research project materialized into a striking Freud-forward fashion showcase, combining sexual undertones with undeniable class. Keep reading for a look inside.

A selection from Second Skin. [L to R] Azzedine Alaïas nakeskin ensemble, spring 1991; Willy Chavarria red pants, spring 2022; Chado by Ralph Rucci chartreuse green suit, 2005; Bach Mai velvet draped bias gown and silk satin bralette, spring 2023; Grace Wales Bonner man’s suit, decorated with cowrie shells, spring 2017; Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garçons black dress, spring 2017; ASHLYN camel trench coat ensemble, fall 2005; Claude Montana blue leather trench coat, 1982-1983; Romeo Gigli cocoon coat ensemble, fall 1991; Azzedine Alaïa hooded evening dress, winter 1986

A chronological arrangement of ~100 garments are positioned at the end of dimly lit, maze-like corridors. A sporadic window here and there invites visitors to view select garments from a different perspective. Familiar designers are represented, but their pieces are imbued with a new layer of meaning, inviting both psychoanalytic insight and aesthetic admiration. Chief curator, Valerie Steele—once hailed as the "Freud of fashion"—presents visitors with an exploration of the deep, often unconscious connections between clothing, desire, and identity. 

Thierry Mugler (1980)

Thematic categories draw visitors in with provocative titles--The Phallic Woman, The Mirror and the Gaze, The Naked Dreamer, Freud or Fetish, Subverting the Symbolic, Bodies to Wear (and more)--complemented by insightful commentary. Part history lesson, part fashion showcase, the exhibit invites thought on how clothing functions as 'second skin' or 'mirror' offering confidence, protection and even a shield against the gaze of others. Stop by to see for yourself! Dress, Dreams & Desire: Fashion & Psychoanalysis is running until January 4, 2026.

Installation view The Phallic Woman

[L to R] Jean Paul Gaultier Homme (1988/89), Jean Paul Gaultier con-bra dress (Fall 1984), Claude Montana Jumpsuit (1980s)

[L to R] Yoji Yamamoto black ensemble (Fall 2006), Josephine Thimister men's coat and Scarf (Fall 2010), Bernhard Willhelm off-white jumpsuit (Fall / Winter 2012-13), Jun Takahashi for Undercover evening dress (Fall 2020)

[L to R] Noir Kei Ninomiya dress + hunter boots (Spring 2023)

[M] Viktor & Rolf spiky coat (Fall 2000)

Installation view Alexander McQueen dresses

Two looks from John Galliano for Christian Dior Couture "Freud or Fetish" collection (Fall 2000)

Installation view

 Revillion monkey fur suit (1971)

Items featured in Sexual Symbols and Fetishism, from top left down to right: Brooks Brothers man’s formal hat, c. 1890; Christian Dior red evening hat, fall 2000; Justin Smith bat tattooed hat, 2007; Beaded reticule (purse), 1885-1895; Elsa Schiaparelli pansies bag, 1938; Versace red medusa evening bag, 1991; Jack Jacobus, Ltd black boots, 1895-1900; Chanel gun shoes, cruise 2009; Lanvin beige boots, fall 2006; Red corset, c. 1889; Issey Miyake bustier, 1983.

Museum Entryway