The Woodmere Art Museum, an institution focused on the art and artists of Philadelphia, has set up a dedicated space for more than 200 original garments and accessories by Mary McFadden. The collection, which it received last October, encompasses silk T-shirts, elegant separates, embellished tunics, distinctive daywear and dramatic couture. All the pieces can be viewed on Woodmere’s website under The Mary McFadden Experience.
McFadden died Sept. 13, 2024 at the age of 85 at her home in Southampton, N.Y.
Her renowned gowns represent the most recognizable expression of the McFadden aesthetic. Her innovative pleating allowed fabric to move fluidly around the body while maintaining a sculptural quality.
“Mary McFadden’s work offers an extraordinary lens through which to explore the intersection of fashion, art, craftsmanship and cultural history,” said William Valerio, Woodmere director and chief executive officer. “This generous gift allows us not only to showcase these remarkable garments, but also to share them in new ways with our community. We are especially excited to make the collection accessible through a members’ borrowing program, called the Lending Library, a very special way to experience McFadden’s designs firsthand and to appreciate the remarkable artistry, materials and techniques that define her work.”
A Mary McFadden gown.
HugeE Dillon Photography, courtesy image
The Lending Library, currently in development, is expected to launch in the coming weeks.
John McFadden, the designer’s brother, said, “Mary was always much more than a fashion designer. She was an artist, a collector, a trailer, and a storyteller who saw the world in extraordinary ways and brought all of those experiences into her work. These garments capture that distilled imagination, from the simplest silk pieces to the most elaborate gowns and embellishments. I am very pleased that they will now have a home at Woodmere, where people can study them, experience them, and discover the many dimensions of Mary’s creative life.”
A Mary McFadden embellished and Marli pleated gown at the Woodmere.
Darryl Moran Photo, courtesy
While the designer’s brother made this initiative possible, a significant portion of the collection comes from Joan Olden, who served as president of Mary McFadden Inc. for many years.
“The collection demonstrates that Mary McFadden’s contribution to fashion extended far beyond her iconic pleated gowns,” said Olden. “Together these garments allow visitors and researchers to see the complete vocabulary of an artist who understood fabric, ornament, movement, proportion, and the human body as elements of a larger work of art.”
An embellished jacket from Mary McFadden.
Darryl Moran photo, courtesy of Woodmere
The Mary McFadden Experience begins online, where visitors can explore the collection. Beginning this month, Woodmere is offering in-person member tours of the collection. An intimate space in the lower-level Jewelry Vault of Woodmere’s Maguire Hall has been re-envisioned to house and showcase the collection.
Philadelphia was deeply woven into the McFadden family’s artistic and intellectual inheritance, connecting them notably to the city’s traditions of collecting and patronage but also to the study of the ancient world.
