Helen Jean is the Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design at the Phoenix Art Museum. She has been at the museum since 2019, returning after previously working there from 2007-2012. Her educational background includes a BFA from Stephens College in Fashion Design, and an MFA from the University of Lincoln- Nebraska in Costume Design, along with focused study at the International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, NE. Along with previous experience at the Phoenix Art Museum, Jean has worked in the academic side of fashion design as an instructor at a number of colleges.

     Costume holds a strong draw for Jean. She said, “I’m fascinated by the many ways we are connected through the clothing that we wear, as well as the traditions we share when constructing our identity through appearance. I am so lucky that my work allows me to explore the human experience through clothing.” The collection at the Phoenix Art Museum is one that leads to further discovery. Jean describes the collection as having “a wonderful representation of 20th-century couture designers, especially mid-century designers. There are also some very exciting new works by designers such as Iris Van Herpen, Rei Kawakubo, and Anamika Khanna. Additionally, the variety of exhibitions explored by previous curators and the robust involvement of the support organization Arizona Costume Institute are good evidence of a community that is engaged in the exploration of clothing in new and interesting ways.”

     As with most museum positions, there is rarely a day that can be described as average. Jean covers a number of responsibilities in each job and the types of tasks accomplished vary greatly. “During installation, I might be pulling garments, dressing mannequins, prepping mounts, printing and hanging labels, or moving mannequins into place in the gallery. During a research period, I might be researching online or calling other collections for loans and advice. Lately, I’ve been logging lots of hours on our Vogue archive to find materials for the next exhibition, Camouflage.” She describes in more detail one unique aspect of her position: “most objects in the fashion design collection require unique display mounts. I have to design and engineer for each situation. That is a fun and challenging problem to solve each time.

     Finally, if she had the opportunity to give her past-self advice she would say “stop talking and just listen.”

     In August 2021, Jean was featured in a Dress & Drinks webinar that can be seen on our YouTube channel. You can check out all of our Curator Profiles by clicking here.


~Profile written by Lauren Clark

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