Professor Emerita Lois Jett began amassing a historic costume collection in 1962 for Illinois State University’s then-Department of Home Economics. Today, students within the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences carry on Jett’s vision for the teaching tool through regular exhibitions of historic clothing. An endowment Jett established in 1970 continues to fund updates to the collection, which now boasts more than 2,000 items, including clothing, textiles, and related artifacts
Dr. Jennifer Banning, professor of fashion design and merchandising, and director of the Lois Jett Historic Costume Collection, said the collection’s newest addition—a black dress form—was purchased with funds from the Lois Jett Historic Costume Collection Fund.
“The form is different from what we have currently because this one has arms and can be customized to add a head and/or thighs, meaning we’ll more easily be able to display pants and headwear,” Banning said. “We ordered one in black in an effort to provide more diversity in our exhibition practices.”
Banning noted the purchase would not have been possible without support from Jett’s endowment. Such additions enable students to interact more deeply with the collection and resulting exhibitions.
Recent graduate Ye Fatuki ’22 worked on a Cruella De Vil-themed display for the latest exhibition, Broadway, Baby: Fashion on Stage.
“I love the fact that I got to have fun and got to play with my ideas and integrate different textures into the window display,” said Fatuki, who is now working full-time to build his own fashion brand. Fatuki said the hands-on experience allowed him to explore his imagination and view the exhibit through a childlike lens.
