Rockwell Hall is more than just another building on campus. It’s home to unique designs from around the world and throughout time.

“When you get in here, you see so many historic pieces and current pieces that it piques your interest and you think ‘Maybe fashion is more interesting than I thought it was,'” said Ruth Krause, museum store manager.

The museum currently has Gazette du Bon Ton, The Kokoon Arts Club: Cleveland Revels, Michael Kors Designs, Confessions and the Sense of Self, The Art of the Embroiderer and Great American Glass: The Roaring 20s & Depression Era exhibits.

Kors gained popularity as a judge on the show “Project Runway.” His exhibit features different takes on the classic little black dress.

Jenn Sweany, junior fashion merchandising major, and Krause both said their favorite exhibit at the moment is Gazette du Bon Ton, which features fashions from 1912 through 1925.

“It’s just like a different time,” Sweany said. “People cared more then.”

The Art of Embroiderer exhibit takes its visitors throughout Europe to showcase the beauty of embroidery. Pieces include an Ivory evening dress from France, as well as a stuffed horse-shaped animal with multicolored gold and foil embroidery from possibly the Sind regions of southeast Pakistan or Gujarat region of northwest India.

The Confessions and the Sense of Self displays anonymous public confessions through garments.

Confessions such as, “I purposely lost my wedding ring, because I never liked it. It was small and flawed, pretty much like the man I married,” are printed in pink text on a wedding dress titled “Bridezilla.”

“It’s very thought-provoking,” said Jean Druesedow, director of the fashion museum. “You really begin to wonder how women see themselves and how they express themselves.”

Future galleries planned for the museum include a hat collection, a George Stavropoulos collection and a Katharine Hepburn collection.

The gift shop for the museum has its own appeal as well for students looking for one-of-a-kind pieces.

“It gives people a unique place to shop because we have items they won’t find any other place,” Krause said.

Even with the changing galleries and intriguing looks into the world of fashion, Druesedow said generally not many students find their way into the museum.

“I think that what happens often with students is that they are very involved in their schoolwork and their own little world, and they don’t sometimes go outside,” Druesedow said. “And one of the wonderful parts about college is that you can get outside your little world.”

Contact features reporter Pamela Crimbchin

at [email protected].