In their smaller, ground-floor gallery FIT has mounted an exhibit of notable pieces from their own collection.  It opened with the title Great Designers but, after some controversy, was renamed, with less boldness and brevity, Fashion, A-Z: Highlights from the Collection of the Museum at FIT, Part One.  The garments are displayed alphabetically by designer name, so that the show kicks off with a crystal-studded white gown by Giorgio Armani, and ends with outfits by Gianni Versace, Vivienne Westwood and XULY.Bet.  In between there are pieces from all the usual suspects, including Fortuny, CocoChanel, Donna Karan and Alexander McQueen, as well as undersung heroes, like Lucien Lelong, and upstarts, like Gareth Pugh. Only John Galliano, riding out a scandal, is notably absent.

More than a comprehensive history of fashion, or a random sampling from FIT’s treasure trove, the show offers a convincing argument for the power of the dress.  Even the ladies pantsuits and jackets on display have a dress-like logic, emphasizing a unified, ladylike profile over the drama of contrasting pieces.  And all the pieces seem to emphasize the fall of fabric over a woman’s body rather than the architecture of the clothing itself.  (Although there is one remarkable exception, a green Charles James gown that seems to be standing up on its own.)  So Galliano is sorely missed.  Nothing would have centered the exhibit more than a bias-cut confection from this master of the fancy dress.  There was only one mens ensemble on display, an embellished, pimpish suit by Jean Paul Gaultier.  And that drew attention to another omission – the entire world of mens fashion.  Maybe FIT could have called this exhibit Dresses from the Collection at FIT and followed with another called Suits from the Collection at FIT.  They would have gone swiftly to the heart of both mens and womens fashion.