The history of India’s enduring influence on Western fashion

India: Fashion’s Muse
Courtesy Phoenix Art Museum

Irene, Gold brocade evening dress with beige silk chiffon scarf (detail), 1958. Lurex and silk brocade and silk chiffon. Gift of Mrs. B. J. Leonard.

The Phoenix Art Museum presents India: Fashion’s Muse, an exhibition examining the ways in which Indian dress, aesthetic, and artwork have inspired Western fashion designs from streetwear to couture. Spanning the 19th to the 21st centuries, the exhibition showcases nearly 40 garments and more than 20 accessories drawn from the collection of Phoenix Art Museum and on loan from private collectors and museums. Featured designs include the paisley shawl, the sari, and the Nehru jacket, with traditional Indian garments exhibited alongside modern works by Indian fashion designer Anamika Khanna and Western designers such as McQueen, Givenchy, and Versace. Curated by Helen Jean, the interim curator of fashion design of Phoenix Art Museum, the exhibition will also present complementary artworks from the Museum’s Asian art collection and a four-minute film on Yves Saint Laurent’s 1982 collection, which was inspired by Indian design.

Event Information
Start Date: February 29, 2020
End Date: June 21, 2020
Venue: Phoenix Art Museum

India: Fashion’s Muse