Jane Mulkin, a vintage clothing collector and longtime supporter of the Department of Theatre, donated more than 200 pieces from her private collection to the department in Fall 2014. The gift, which includes dozens of dresses, skirts, bodices, hats, gloves, shoes, parasols, fans, a few men’s garments, and sporting equipment, showcases 90 years of changing fashion, from the 1880s to the 1970s. Theatre students will be able to use these remarkable items of clothing for inspiration and instruction as they design and create new costumes for future productions.

Kimberly Schnormeier, M.F.A., Associate Professor of Theatre and Associate Dean for Academic Advising, says, “Looking at garments from a particular era offers a sense of how they looked on a normal person, as opposed to an idealized figure in an illustration.”

Amy Page, M.F.A., assistant professor of theatre and costume director, agrees that the gift is significant for students, and has been one of the biggest surprises of her career. They are a “treasure trove of history,” she says.