The first major exhibition dedicated to investigating fashion in American silent film, Goddesses in the Machine: Fashion in American Silent Film reveals the untold story of costume and style from the advent of cinema through the introduction of talkies in 1928. Bringing together nearly 200 objects, including rare surviving garments and accessories dating from the first three decades of the twentieth century, the exhibition illuminates how early cinema transformed fashion from personal expression into powerful storytelling, creating the blueprint for modern movie glamour. Goddesses in the Machine reveals a range of cinematic innovations developed in response to rapidly changing technology and social norms, tracing the development and professionalization of the film costuming industry. The presentation also spotlights the work of early costumers who harnessed the possibilities of the new medium, from well-known names such as Travis Banton, Henri Bendel, Clare West, and Lucile (Lady Duff-Gordon), to largely overlooked figures including Odessa Warren Grey, Madame Frances, I. Miller, and Lilian St. Cyr.
When exhibitions are on view, BGC’s gallery is open during the following hours (in ET): Monday–Tuesday: Closed; Wednesday: 11 am–8 pm; Thursday–Sunday: 11 am–5 pm
https://www.bgc.bard.edu/exhibitions/exhibitions/144/goddesses-in-the-machine
18 West 86th St, New York, NY 10024
We strive to remove barriers to attendance. If purchasing a ticket would present a financial hardship for you, please email gallery@bgc.bard.edu or call 212 501 3023. It would be our pleasure to offer you a complimentary ticket.
Students: $6
Seniors: $12
All Others: $15
Complimentary Tickets:
Bard Graduate Center (BGC) members
People with disabilities and their care partners
NYC Culture Pass ticket holders
Anyone for whom purchasing tickets would create a financial hardship (see above)
Other museum / gallery staff members
American Alliance of Museums / ICOM members
North American Reciprocal Museum Association members
Please be in touch with Hanna at handrews@resnicow.com with any questions!
Paramount Pictures Wardrobe Department, Astoria, NY, ca. 1925. Photographic paper. Museum of the Moving Image, Gift of Dorothy Kandel, 1988.036.0141.
Black-and-white photograph of the Paramount Pictures Wardrobe Department in Astoria, NY, circa 1925. A long dressing room is lined with racks of costumes and garments, while a foreground counter displays women’s shoes and feathered accessories. Several people—likely performers and staff—prepare in the background, adjusting outfits under overhead lights and exposed ceiling pipes.
