For costume exhibit, Chicago History Museum pulls a few favorites out of the closet

It makes sense that the Chicago History Museum’s wide-ranging collection of all things Chicago would include textiles and apparel, but many people probably have no idea just how extensive its holdings in this realm are.

Making that point is a key mission of “Dressed in History: A Costume Collection Retrospective,” which opened Oct. 19 and runs through July 27, 2025. It offers a succinct, tantalizing glimpse of the museum’s 50,000 or so costumes, textiles and accessories dating from the 18th century to the present — one of the country’s largest and most respected such holdings.

“It’s a taste of everything,” said Jessica Pushor, collection manager of costumes and textiles, “because I want people to want to learn more and know more and have fun with history and enjoy looking at history through fashion.”

The show marks the 50th anniversary of the Costume Council, a group of museum supporters who have raised more than $5 million for the development, exhibition and preservation of this world-class collection.

On view are more than 70 highlights including some surprises, like a pair of red, white and black Air Jordans from 1985, iconic, groundbreaking sneakers associated with one of Chicago’s greatest athletes: basketball great Michael Jordan.

The museum purchased them in 1987 for $34.99, getting them on sale because they were two years old at that point. “They’re the first Air Jordans that ever came out,” Pushor said. “They’re now worth probably more than I make a year.”

Her usual job, which she has held for more than 10 years, is typically behind the scenes and more concerned with cataloging and researching. But because the museum has not replaced Virginia Heaven, who served as the costume collection’s last curator in 2019-21, Pushor took over those duties for this project.

She has done a first-class job of organizing an approachable exhibition that should especially appeal to visitors who know little about the costume collection or fashion in general. “I want to show everybody how cool it is,” Pushor said. “I know the incredible things that are this collection, and some of the past curators know, but, beyond us, very few people know about it.”

Although compact — occupying just a little more than 2,100 square feet — the show has a sense of spaciousness in part through her use of large-scale panoramic photographs from the museum’s holdings to create installations that animate and contextualize what is on view.

While the show does include the expected examples of haute couture, or high-end women’s wear, by famed designers like Christan Dior and Coco Chanel for which the collection is most reputed, those selections are supplemented with costumes and accessories from the worlds of art, dance, theater and even burlesque.

And to keep the show grounded, one of the four sections is devoted to what everyday Chicagoaons have worn, like a 1986 golden-yellow sportswear ensemble from Esprit, a company founded in 1968 in San Francisco that reached $614 million in annual sales worldwide in 1984.

Here’s a look at a few other notable objects on view:

Robe à la française, 1740-1775

This centuries-old dress, shaped by an under-structure known as a pannier, is striking on its own, but it also has a fascinating story. It came into the collection in 1920 as part of the transformative Gunther Collection, but the museum sold it six years later when it couldn’t verify the claim that the garment had been worn by England’s Queen Caroline. It was purchased by Bertha Baur, a wealthy Chicago businesswoman, politician and socialite, who wore it to an assortment of showy balls and parties and gave it a notable second history, and eventually the museum reacquired it.

Minaudière, 1997

Though just 4 inches tall and 6 inches wide, this small jeweled case by New York handbag designer Judith Leibert makes a big impression. Meant to mark the 100th anniversary of the corner clock outside the former Marshall Field & Co. department store, it is covered in white, green, dark-green and black Swarovski crystals arranged to depict the iconic landmark set against a geometrically patterned background.

Men’s suit jacket, ca. 2010, Nick Cave

The Chicago artist and designer is best known for what he calls Soundsuits, elaborate wearable sculptures which often incorporate found objects, unexpected materials and steel armatures. Featured here is a suit jacket that the longtime professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago has adorned with colorful found cotton doilies.

By keeping the emphasis on variety in this exhibition, Pushor hopes that every visitor, no matter their interests, will connect with something. “It has such a personal connection,” she said of clothing and fashion. “You can understand people and history better through those objects.”