Arts & Culture
Art Space: Claire McCardell Exhibit Debuts at the MD Center for History and Culture
More than 60 years after her death at the age of 52, the display features her iconic designs, along with letters, interviews, and documents that take an intimate look at her too-short life.
Art Space is a recurring element in the UpFront section of our print publication that spotlights a local artist or project making an impact in the city at large. Here’s what’s going on this month:
There’s something to be said about simple, practical elegance. And in many ways, we have Claire McCardell—the trailblazing, Frederick-born, midcentury womenswear fashion designer—to thank for that.
McCardell’s ready-to-wear clothing—which included the first “spaghetti straps,” dress pockets, and ballet flats—allowed women to feel sophisticated without sacrificing comfort. Starting on November 5, more than 60 years after her death at the age of 52, a new “Claire/McCardell” exhibition at The Maryland Center for History and Culture will feature her iconic designs, along with letters, interviews, and documents that take an intimate look at her too-short life.
