Detail of jacket closure (Object ID #1982.301.ab), photographed as part of the Stella H. Jones Foundation grant project
The Digital Fashion Archive began in 2018 thanks to a grant from the Stella H. Jones Foundation.
This pilot grant produced digital versions of thirty-two Hubert de Givenchy garments, photographed by an adjunct professor in the Mount Mary Fashion Department. The IT Department set up Omeka to display the digital items. Funds from this grant helped purchase a computer with sizable memory, a photo background with stands, and lights with stands, as well as a turntable and photography software to create the desired 360° output. The ability to spin a garment and zoom in on any point to a high definition was a goal from the outset. Most historic garments are not photographed this way, but the grant proposal team looked at similar online collections to match or exceed their styles of display. The team’s philosophy was to give users the most detailed views possible of each item, hopefully giving online users an experience close to standing in front of the garment and viewing it.
The Library Director, University Archivist, Fashion faculty and student interns, the Dean of the School of Arts and Design, and the IT department all collaborated on the project. The garments were photographed, uploaded, and cataloged in Omeka between May and November 2018. The experience gained from this project helped inform Mount Mary's proposal for the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) grant, which was awarded in 2021.
