‘In Pursuit of Fashion’: French and American Couture Become Art at The Met

There are people who buy clothing to make others admire them, and there are people who buy clothing to admire it. Sandy Schreier is one of those women, amassing one of the finest private fashion collections in the United States.

Thanks to a generous promised gift from Schreier, The Met’s Costume Institute has assembled a special exhibit, “In Pursuit of Fashion,” that explores fashion as a form of creative expression. French and American couture and ready-to-wear womenswear, accessories and fashion illustrations make up the exhibit’s 80 pieces. The items date from 1908 to 2004.

The exhibit will also explore how the collector was able to amass such a vast array of pieces. Schreier has promised 85 more items from her collection, for a total of 165 pieces, to the museum.