STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

This is so cool, I think - I want to see this exhibit, but I can view some of it online - thought I would share!

here's a link to images of items in the collection: http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?q1=firestone&rgn1=hfhcc_all&op2=And&q2=&rgn2=hfhcc_all&type=boolean&g=localhistic&view=thumbnail&c=hfhcc

Elizabeth Parke Firestone (1897-1990) believed that by looking great "not just good" she was a professional asset to her husband (Harvey Firestone, Jr.) and his company (Firestone Tire and Rubber Company). She looked to some of the most influential couture houses in New York City and Paris to find couturiers who suited her style and station. Trim, blonde and blue-eyed, she looked stunning in her designer gowns and was photographed for fashion and society magazines, including Vogue . Even well into her late 50s, Mrs. Firestone's fashionable dress continued to be noted in the press, including several nominations for "Best Dressed Women in the World" by the Couture Group of the New York Dress Institute during the 1950s.

The Henry Ford's collection of Elizabeth Parke Firestone's accessories and related ephemera is extensive, ranging from the 1910s to 1970. The collection is most notable for its remarkable breadth and depth. It includes a variety of gowns from significant designers from the 1920s through the early 1960s, along with accompanying shoes, gloves and the occasional design-drawing and correspondence with the couturiers. Through the collection, we are able to see Mrs. Firestone's changing styles, which reflect the fashion of high society throughout much of the 20th century.