A significant portion of the legendary fashion designer Mary McFadden’s archive has officially been relocated to Pratt’s Brooklyn campus. The donation, made by the McFadden family in collaboration with Drexel University and Pratt, supports scholarship, preservation, and access to the collection.
A Designer’s Legacy Comes Home
Mary McFadden, known for her architectural silhouettes and globally inspired fashions, left an indelible mark on style from the 1960s to the early 2000s. She was also an editor, writer, and the first woman president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. In 2001, Pratt honored her with its Legend Award. With this move, her archive returns to New York — the city where she launched and ran her label.
What the Archive Includes
Students and scholars at Pratt will gain direct access to hundreds of garments and related materials: pattern books, artisanal textiles, sketchbooks, promotional content, rare video recordings, and McFadden’s patented “Marii” pleated fabric, famed for its fluid, gold-like drape.
Integration into Education & Research
The archive is housed in Pratt’s Juliana Curran Terian Design Center, within the Fashion Design department. Pratt will integrate the collection into its curriculum across fashion, textiles, and cultural studies, giving students experiential access to historical artifacts. A rotating fellowship, led by a Mary McFadden Collection Scholar, will facilitate research, curatorial projects, and curriculum development.
Toward a Living Archive
Pratt emphasizes that fashion should be a component of cultural literacy and public history. This archive provides a chance to engage with the very artifacts that shaped an era. In upcoming months, Pratt will announce opportunities for research, exhibition, and student involvement in curatorial projects.
