About the Collection
Founded in 1966, the fashion design collection features more than 8,000 objects that represents five centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the late 17th century to the present. Notable for its range and comprehensiveness, the collection features significant works from iconic fashion designers including Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Christian Dior, Claire McCardell, Fortuny, Giorgio di Sant Angelo, Halston, Ralph Rucci, Iris van Herpen, Yohji Yamamoto and Schiaparelli among many others across the history of fashion.
Each work that becomes a part of the collection is judged on its merit as a work of art, with the design of the object, its significance in the history of fashion and its condition all being taken into consideration. Highlights include a collection of mid-century haute couture including Charles James, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Madame Grès worn by Ann Bonfoey Taylor and an archive of avant-garde designers including Azzedine Alaïa, Jean Paul Gaultier, Claude Montana, Thierry Mugler, and Issey Miyake among many others. Both historical and contemporary works are considered for how they enhance the view of defining moments in the history of fashion and how they complement current holdings.
The Astaire Library within the Museum’s Lemon Research Library houses a collection of books and magazines relating to fashion including extensive holdings of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Godey’s Ladies Book.
American and Western American
The American and Western American collections feature art dating from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. Through the objects on view, we can trace the development and evolution of American artistic traditions through the early interest in portraiture to the prominence of landscape painting, and beyond.
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Contemporary
The contemporary art collection features cutting-edge contemporary works by living artists, from the mid-20th century to today. Representing works by artists working all over the world, the collection features diverse perspectives that illuminate the contemporary human experience.
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Fashion Design
The fashion design collection features nearly 6,000 objects of couture, accessories, and ephemera. Spanning nearly five hundred years, from the historical to the ultra-contemporary, the fashion design collection is one of the most unique of its kind in the world.
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Latin American
The Latin American art collection features more than 1,000 works from across North, Central and South America. From Spanish Colonial to contemporary works by living artists, the collection explores artistic traditions that are especially meaningful to our shared experience in a border region.
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Photography
Through a landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, Phoenix Art Museum presents three annual exhibitions of photography to its community, drawn from the CCP’s unparalleled collection of historical and contemporary photography.
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Thorne Rooms
The Thorne Rooms provide a glimpse into replications of rooms found in America and Europe, at an exacting 1:12 scale. A beloved favorite of visitors of all ages, they have been painstakingly preserved for nearly a century.
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