Date of Award

2023

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design

Specialization

Historic Costume and Textiles, Textile Conservation, and Cultural Analysis

Department

Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design

First Advisor

Jessical Strübel

Abstract

Chester Weinberg was a notable, queer and style-making designer of the 1960s-1980s before his untimely death in 1985 due to AIDs related illnesses. Many people have never heard of Weinberg, despite knowing his designs. In this paper, a convergent multi-method approach is used to investigate the relationship between the manner of Weinberg’s death, and his forgotten legacy. Using thematic analysis of newspaper clippings, photos, and interviews, Weinberg’s effect on the fashion industry is explored and compared with in-depth material and cultural analysis of his works that reside in the URI Historic Textile and Costume Collection (HTCC). Population data and museum objects are then used to determine the accessibility of Weinberg’s pieces in historic textile collections and museums today, exploring the idea of how the stigma of HIV/AIDs has affected the contents of historic textile collections of museums.

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