About
Welcome to the Texas Fashion Collection (TFC) at the University of North Texas (UNT).
The Texas Fashion Collection is dedicated to preserving and documenting historically significant fashion, as an educational resource for students, researchers and the general public. This mission draws from a long history of institutions and individuals with a passion for fashion history and design.
- In 1972, the combined collections of the Dallas Museum of Fashion grew to more than 3,000 items when Dr. Edward Mattil, then chairman of the art department, helped transfer ownership and brought the collection to the UNT campus.
- In 1989, Patti Lou Cobb joined the staff at UNT and brought museum standards and practices that improved the level of preservation for the collection.
- A National Endowment for the Arts grant for history and documentation was awarded to the Texas Fashion Collection in 1995, laying the groundwork for the retrospective digitization of the collection catalog.
- In 1993, the university provided a newly renovated building that consolidated the collection into Scoular Hall, the first time the entire holdings were in one location.
- Since 2013, the Texas Fashion Collection has been in Welch Street Complex 1, which also houses the UNT fashion design and fibers programs. These upgraded facilities include a 4,500 square foot climate-controled room with an open storage model, allowing daily access for curatorial staff and volunteers and for small groups of visitors.
New Acquisitions
The TFC has limited resources available to purchase items from individuals, dealers, or at auction. Individuals may donate items of clothing to the TFC or make contributions designated for acquiring new artifacts. For more information about donations, please visit Donations & Gifts.