Clothing & Accessories

Work, play, fashion, economic class, religious faith, even politics—all these aspects of American life and more are woven into clothing. The Museum cares for one of the nation's foremost collections of men's, women's, and children's garments and accessories—from wedding gowns and military uniforms to Halloween costumes and bathing suits.

The collections include work uniforms, academic gowns, clothing of presidents and first ladies, T-shirts bearing protest slogans, and a clean-room "bunny suit" from a manufacturer of computer microchips. Beyond garments, the collections encompass jewelry, handbags, hair dryers, dress forms, hatboxes, suitcases, salesmen's samples, and thousands of fashion prints, photographs, and original illustrations. The more than 30,000 artifacts here represent the changing appearance of Americans from the 1700s to the present day.

There is no information as to who wore this dress designed by Louella Ballerino.Louella Ballerino, who was born in 1900, is best known for her garments incorporating "South of the Border" motifs.
Description
There is no information as to who wore this dress designed by Louella Ballerino.
Louella Ballerino, who was born in 1900, is best known for her garments incorporating "South of the Border" motifs. A native Californian, Ballerino graduated from the University of Southern California and sold fashion sketches to wholesale California manufacturers. After marrying Melvin Ballerino and having two children, money difficulties after the Depression prompted her to resume selling fashion sketches. When this did not realize the money she wanted, she found a job in a custom dress shop. She also began teaching a class in fashion design and illustration. While teaching, she stressed that fashion was really the ability to adapt old ideas into new forms. Eventually, she began working as a designer for a ready-made manufacturer and then decided to manufacture her own line. That dress, first produced in 1938, incorporated small wooden blocks, and proved to be a good seller. Over the years, she featured many fabrics with Mexican inspiration. Later she designed a line of clothing for Jantzen. As a California sportswear designer who adapted ethnic designs in fabrics and style for the American market in the 1930s and 1940s, Ballerino is most often associated with smart, casual clothes and swim suits. She was one of the first California sportswear designers known by name.
This one-piece dress is constructed of a slub rayon printed in green, red, blue, gold, brown, and burgundy on a cream colored ground. The large print of a woman carrying a child against a South or Central American landscape is placed along the lower bodice and skirt section. The fitted bodice has a scooped neckline with piping at the edge and bias cut cap sleeves. A center back opening extends into a gathered skirt section with the bodice fastening with four green matte buttons. The dress measures 42 1/4 inches at the center back. The missing belt was most likely a green sash that tied in front.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1940-1945
maker
Ballerino, Louella
designer
Ballerino, Louella
maker
Ballerino, Louella
ID Number
2000.0124.001
accession number
2000.0124
catalog number
2000.0124.001
The donor purchased this navy-blue wool double-breasted two-piece suit on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles in early 1945. He wore it for his 1945 high school class picture and graduation ceremony in Los Angeles, California.
Description
The donor purchased this navy-blue wool double-breasted two-piece suit on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles in early 1945. He wore it for his 1945 high school class picture and graduation ceremony in Los Angeles, California. He continued to wear the suit until he entered the navy in July of 1945. The May 1945 issue of Esquire magazine featured a similar suit, claiming that jackets with buttons set low were accepted by men conscious of the subtleties of fashion. They also noted that a double-breasted jacket with low buttons and long lapels accentuated the height of the wearer.
While not every man owned a suit in pre-Civil War America, the development of the ready-to-wear industry in the United States made the purchase of a suit possible for most men by the end of the 19th century. The availability of ready-made suits at a reasonable price was helped by the shift from the more formal frock coat and trousers of the 19th century to the more relaxed fit of the sack coat. It is the sack suit or lounge suit, a business suit made of wool with a loose fitting single or double-breasted jacket that dominated men's fashion throughout the 20th century and into the 21st.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1945
user
Morgan, Jr., Arthur A.
ID Number
CS.316499.001
catalog number
316499.001
accession number
316499
This jumpsuit was worn by a scientist from Advanced Genetic Systems during the first release of genetically modified microorganisms into the environment approved by the federal government.The organisms, a genetically modified version of naturally occurring bacteria from the genus
Description (Brief)
This jumpsuit was worn by a scientist from Advanced Genetic Systems during the first release of genetically modified microorganisms into the environment approved by the federal government.
The organisms, a genetically modified version of naturally occurring bacteria from the genus Pseudomonas, were sprayed on test fields of strawberry plants in Monterey County, Calif., to increase their resistance to frost.
In nature, Pseudomonas can be found on the surface of many plants. The bacteria contribute to problems with frost on crops because they produce a protein that promotes the formation of ice. In hopes of reducing frost damage to crops, scientist Steve Lindow at the University of California altered the bacteria to stop producing this protein. The University patented these “ice-minus” bacteria and licensed the technology to Advanced Genetic Systems, a company based in Oakland, Calif. AGS hoped to bring the bacteria to market as an ice-proofing spray for crops called “Frostban.”
After careful review, the U.S. government approved field tests of Frostban. Despite the review, public fear of releasing these bacteria into the environment remained. Some scientists raised concerns that the ice-minus bacteria could replace the natural bacterial population. Because of their ice-forming abilities, the natural bacteria play a role in the creation of precipitation. This fact led some to worry that damage to the natural population could have repercussions for rainfall and weather patterns.
Activists against Frostban broke into test fields and uprooted plants to be sprayed several times throughout the field trials. After four years of tests, Frostban was found to be effective in reducing frost damage to crops. Due to continued public discomfort with genetically modified organisms, however, AGS never marketed the product. The company feared that the expense of fighting legal battles to get it to market would outweigh possible profit.
Sources:
“Public Fears Factored Into Gene-Altered Bacteria Tests.” Griffin, Katherine. The Los Angeles Times. April 18, 1988. p. AOC11.
“Bacteria on the Loose.” Fox, Michael W. The Washington Post. November 26, 1985. p. A16.
“Chapter 5: Ecological Considerations.” Office of Technology Assessment, Congress of the United States. Field-Testing Engineered Organisms: Genetic and Ecological Issues. 2002. pp.94–95.
“Chapter 4: The Release of a Genetically Engineered Microorganism.” Schacter, Bernice Zeldin. Issues and Dilemmas of Biotechnology: A Reference Guide. 1999.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1987.0770.01
accession number
1987.0770
catalog number
1987.0770.01
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
user
Fitzgerald, Ella
designer
Loper, Don
ID Number
1996.0342.005
accession number
1996.0342
catalog number
1996.0342.005
These are two identical HOT KISS paper tags collected with the dress production instructions seen in object number 2014.3041.04. The tags were intended to be attached to the final garment along with the tag seen in 2014.3014.16.
Description
These are two identical HOT KISS paper tags collected with the dress production instructions seen in object number 2014.3041.04. The tags were intended to be attached to the final garment along with the tag seen in 2014.3014.16. The label is printed on a white background with the red "HOT KISS" logo at the top. The label reads, "The irregularities and variations of shading and texture are characteristics of embellishment, which adds to it's uniqueness and is in no way to be considered defective."
date made
1990's - 2000's
maker
Hot Kiss, Inc.
ID Number
2014.3041.15
catalog number
2014.3041.15
nonaccession number
2014.3041
These are two size and care garment labels for the Hot Kiss brand of clothing collected with the dress production instructions seen in object number 2014.3041.04. The tags were intended to be attached to the final garment along with the tag seen in object 2013.3041.15.
Description
These are two size and care garment labels for the Hot Kiss brand of clothing collected with the dress production instructions seen in object number 2014.3041.04. The tags were intended to be attached to the final garment along with the tag seen in object 2013.3041.15. The label bears Hot Kiss’s lips logo, with the tagline “Remember your First” below the trademarked “Hot Kiss” logo. The size and care label reads “L/96% Cotton/4% Spandex/Made in Hong Kong/Fabrique A/Hong Kong/RN# 96120/Machine Wash Warm/Tumble Dry Low/Do Not Bleach.”
date made
1990's - 2000's
maker
Hot Kiss, Inc.
ID Number
2014.3041.16
catalog number
2014.3041.16
nonaccession number
2014.3041
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
user
Fitzgerald, Ella
designer
Loper, Don
ID Number
1996.0342.004
accession number
1996.0342
catalog number
1996.0342.004
Made of red fabric, with a zip-front with six decorative buttons. This jacket is from the ensemble worn by jazz vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald, in an American Express Card advertisement, photographed by Annie Liebovitz.
Description

Made of red fabric, with a zip-front with six decorative buttons. This jacket is from the ensemble worn by jazz vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald, in an American Express Card advertisement, photographed by Annie Liebovitz. There is a maker’s label:

DON LOPER
OF CALIFORNIA

Location
Currently not on view
advertiser
American Express Company
wearer
Fitzgerald, Ella
designer
Loper, Don
ID Number
1996.0342.006
accession number
1996.0342
catalog number
1996.0342.006
"The Red Shawl" is a soft ground color etching and aquatint by May Gearhart (1872–1951). Although she created landscape prints like her sister Frances, May Gearhart also made prints of figure subjects.
Description
"The Red Shawl" is a soft ground color etching and aquatint by May Gearhart (1872–1951). Although she created landscape prints like her sister Frances, May Gearhart also made prints of figure subjects. "The Red Shawl" is an image inspired by one of her trips to Mexico.
In the print, a woman shown in profile holds a small bouquet of flowers while walking along a cobblestone sidewalk next to a white building. Her layered clothing, Gearhart's skillful use of color, and the deep shadows give the impression of a cold, but sunny morning. The woman is wearing a full, plaid, violet skirt and a red shawl. Her slightly bowed head is covered by a yellow kerchief and her face is shadowed.
Gearhart achieved a watercolor effect by thinning oil-based inks. This tiny print is very loosely rendered, a characteristic of the soft ground technique. Although the process of printmaking usually involves creating a set of identical images, Gearhart often printed in small editions, using different shades of ink for each print to produce unique impressions.
The Gearhart sisters both taught school, and they worked closely with two brothers, Benjamin and Howell Brown, to establish and support printmaking organizations in California. The Gearharts and the Browns exhibited their prints at the Smithsonian in the 1920s, and they all made generous donations of their work.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
[1920]
graphic artist
Gearhart, May
ID Number
GA.13357
catalog number
13357
accession number
70154
This Thai passport was seized in the well-publicized 1995 El Monte, Calif., sweatshop raid.
Description
This Thai passport was seized in the well-publicized 1995 El Monte, Calif., sweatshop raid. The passport is part of a larger Smithsonian collection of artifacts documenting apparel industry sweatshops, focusing on the El Monte operation (72 workers were discovered working as slaves). With a legitimate U.S. visa, the passport looks official. In fact, the El Monte operators doctored a real passport, inserting a new photo into someone else's document, in order to smuggle workers into the country.
Recruited from Thailand, the El Monte workers were tricked into accepting employment by misrepresentations of their future working and living conditions. They were told they would sew in a clean factory, receive good pay, and have the weekends off. They were even shown photographs of company parties and outings to Disneyland. After signing contracts (indenture agreements) committing themselves to repay 120,000 baht (about $5,000 in 1997 dollars), they were smuggled into the United States on fraudulent passports.
On arrival, the sweatshop operators confiscated the passports and the workers were forced to sew 18 hours a day seven days a week. The debt, a guard force, and threats of physical harm to the workers and their families in Thailand discouraged them from escaping. Although the physical confinement of the work force was unusual, many aspects of the business, such as recruiting and smuggling workers, are relatively common. Less enslaving forms of debt peonage occur surprisingly often in some Asian immigrant communities.
Sweatshops occur in many sectors of manufacturing, but are most often associated with the garment industry. While garments are designed and marketed through big name companies, assembly is often left to contract and sub-contract operations. In these small shops, where profits are razor thin and competition is excessive, abuses are rampant.
date made
1992
ID Number
1997.0268.01
accession number
1997.0268
catalog number
1997.0268.01
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
user
Fitzgerald, Ella
designer
Loper, Don
ID Number
1996.0342.012
accession number
1996.0342
catalog number
1996.0342.012
“I saw it in a window and just couldn’t resist it,” Carol Burnett remarked about her outrageous “curtain dress,” worn in a comedy sketch that aired on her CBS TV series.
Description (Brief)
“I saw it in a window and just couldn’t resist it,” Carol Burnett remarked about her outrageous “curtain dress,” worn in a comedy sketch that aired on her CBS TV series. Designer Bob Mackie created the costume for the sketch, which was a wild parody of the 1939 film classic Gone with the Wind. The sketch, by writers Mike Marmer and Stan Burns, was humorously titled “Went with the Wind” and Burnett played a character named Starlett O’Hara, a name that lampoons the film’s heroine, Scarlett O’Hara. The skit recreated, in comic terns, a famous scene from the film in which Scarlett fashions a gown from the parlor draperies. Mackie’s design included a brass curtain rod balanced on the shoulders and a hat fashioned from a valence. The costume was a vital ingredient in the overall effect of Burnett’s comic portrayal.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1976
user
Burnett, Carol
maker
Bob Mackie
ID Number
2009.0078.01
catalog number
2009.0078.01
accession number
2009.0078
Made of red fabric. This skirt is from the ensemble worn by jazz vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald, in an American Express Card advertisement, photographed by Annie Liebovitz. Sewn on the inside waistbandFCurrently not on view
Description

Made of red fabric. This skirt is from the ensemble worn by jazz vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald, in an American Express Card advertisement, photographed by Annie Liebovitz. Sewn on the inside waistband

F

Location
Currently not on view
advertiser
American Express Company
wearer
Fitzgerald, Ella
designer
Loper, Don
ID Number
1996.0342.007
accession number
1996.0342
catalog number
1996.0342.007
The donor of this dress designed by Adrian was a fashion model during the 1920s and early 1930s, and she loved clothes. She purchased this dress at Garfinckels, which was a specialty store in Washington, D.C.
Description
The donor of this dress designed by Adrian was a fashion model during the 1920s and early 1930s, and she loved clothes. She purchased this dress at Garfinckels, which was a specialty store in Washington, D.C. When she donated the dress to the museum, she noted that it originally had a narrow belt constructed of the same fabric as the dress. She had used the belt as well as the shoulder pads with another dress at a later time.
Adrian was the best known Hollywood designer of the 1930s. He understood how films were made and designed his clothes accordingly. Knowing that close-ups would highlight the neck or bodice portion of an outfit, he often emphasized the upper portion of a garment. As head designer at MGM, his designs were featured in fashion and fan magazines and were also reinterpreted by many manufacturers. In 1942, Adrian decided to open his own commercial establishment in Beverly Hills, California. Instead of only offering couture clothing for the wealthy, he created a special line called “Adrian Original” to be sold ready-made in selected stores around the United States. To further enhance their cache, only one store was selected in each city to sell his designs.
This long length dress is constructed of black creped-back rayon fabric printed with large birds in yellow, red, and black. The bird at the bodice front is embroidered with red, black, and gold sequins. The short cap sleeves are cut in one with the bodice. There is a horizontal slit neck opening with a short center back opening that fastens with two self-covered buttons and loop closures. The skirt section is cut straight with a slit up the center front originating from the hemline. There is also a left side zipper opening.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1947-1949
used by
Rigsby, Jacqueline C.
maker
Adrian
purchased at
Garfinckel's
designer
Adrian
ID Number
1977.1154.001
accession number
1977.1154
catalog number
1977.1154.001
Black and white print depicting four views of life in the California mining business: "Going into it" shows two miners with prospecting gear; "Making Something" shows them discovering gold in a pan; "Making Nothing" depicts them beside a large empty hole; "Going out of it" depict
Description (Brief)
Black and white print depicting four views of life in the California mining business: "Going into it" shows two miners with prospecting gear; "Making Something" shows them discovering gold in a pan; "Making Nothing" depicts them beside a large empty hole; "Going out of it" depicts them walking toward town.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
n.d.
maker
Britton & Rey
ID Number
DL.60.3878
catalog number
60.3878
Black and white print depicting four scenes of prospecting miners.
Description (Brief)
Black and white print depicting four scenes of prospecting miners. "Starting" shows them on a trail with a pack mule, "Not Even The Colour" shows them panning for gold, "The End of The Mule" depicts the mule falling off a cliff, and "Returning" shows the miners in tatered clothing walking towards a building. This is an unused folded letter sheet with the image on its first page.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
n.d.
maker
Britton & Rey
ID Number
DL.60.3876
catalog number
60.3876
Black and white print depicting four mining scenes. "A Sundays Amusement" shows two miners washing clothes in a stream, "A Daily Plesasure" shows two miners cooking in their cabin, and two additional views with titles torn off show the miners sewing and fighting off a bear.
Description (Brief)
Black and white print depicting four mining scenes. "A Sundays Amusement" shows two miners washing clothes in a stream, "A Daily Plesasure" shows two miners cooking in their cabin, and two additional views with titles torn off show the miners sewing and fighting off a bear. This is an unused folded letter sheet with the image on its first page.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
n.d.
maker
Britton & Rey
ID Number
DL.60.3877
catalog number
60.3877
Edgardo Gazcón was born into a family of cinema entertainers and producers in Mexico. After completing his BA and MA in Mexico City, he was drawn to television and worked as an actor on telenovelas produced by Televisa.
Description
Edgardo Gazcón was born into a family of cinema entertainers and producers in Mexico. After completing his BA and MA in Mexico City, he was drawn to television and worked as an actor on telenovelas produced by Televisa. He travelled to Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the US to work on telenovelas and movies. Eventually he was offered a job to join Univision in Los Angeles to work on daytime television after several years he left for Telemundo. In addition to his career in television and movies, he also developed a career as a recording artist. He became so well known that he was often asked to perform in festivals and celebrations, appearing in traditional Mexican charro attire for these events. Gazcón chronicled his experience through his scrapbook, which is in the National Museum of American History's Archives Center.
In the 1950s, consumers made television the centerpiece of the home, fueling competition among broadcasters to create new products, new programming, new stations, and even new networks. Innovators, such as those behind the creation of independent Spanish-language stations and eventually the Spanish International Network (SIN), challenged established broadcasting companies by creating new programming in Spanish and catering to underserved audiences. Established in the early 1960s, SIN knit together independents and created new stations to serve a national audience. With a complex business and legal history, SIN eventually became Univision in the 1980s. In the decades after 1980, Spanish-language programing options grew with recognition of Latinx communities as powerful consumer groups and the advent of new broadcasting technologies such as cable and digital TV.
Description (Spanish)
Edgardo Gazcón creció en el seno de una familia de artistas y productores de cine en México. Después de completar su licenciatura y maestría en la Ciudad de México, se sintió atraído por la televisión y trabajó como actor en telenovelas producidas por Televisa. Viajó a Colombia, Puerto Rico y Estados Unidos para trabajar en telenovelas y películas. Más adelante, le ofrecieron un trabajo en Univision en Los Ángeles para participar en programas diurnos; después de varios años se pasó a Telemundo. Además de su carrera en televisión y cine, también desarrolló una carrera como artista de grabaciones. Se hizo tan conocido que a menudo se le pedía que actuara en festivales y celebraciones, presentándose a estos eventos con el atuendo tradicional de charro mexicano. Gazcón registró sus experiencias en un álbum de recortes, que se encuentra en el Centro de Archivos del Museo Nacional de Historia Americana.
En la década de 1950, los consumidores hicieron de la televisión un componente central de sus hogares, fomentando la competencia entre las difusoras para crear nuevos productos, nueva programación, nuevas estaciones, e incluso nuevas redes. Los innovadores, como los creadores de los canales independientes de habla hispana y el Spanish International Network (SIN), desafiaron a las emisoras establecidas creando nuevos programas en español centradas en audiencias históricamente ignoradas. Establecido a principios de los sesenta, SIN unió a difusoras independentes y creó nuevas estaciones para responder a una audiencia nacional. Tras una compleja trayectoria empresarial y legal, SIN se convertiría en Univisión en la década de 1980. Durante las próximas décadas, las opciones de programación en español crecieron gracias al reconocimiento de la comunidad Latinx, como poderoso grupo de consumidores, y a la introducción de nuevas tecnologías de difusión, como el cable y la televisión digital.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1990
date used
1990-09-15
dates used
1990-2000
ID Number
2017.0340.01
catalog number
2017.0340.01
accession number
2017.0340
Edgardo Gazcón was born into a family of cinema entertainers and producers in Mexico. After completing his BA and MA in Mexico City, he was drawn to television and worked as an actor on telenovelas produced by Televisa.
Description
Edgardo Gazcón was born into a family of cinema entertainers and producers in Mexico. After completing his BA and MA in Mexico City, he was drawn to television and worked as an actor on telenovelas produced by Televisa. He travelled to Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the US to work on telenovelas and movies. Eventually he was offered a job to join Univision in Los Angeles to work on daytime television after several years he left for Telemundo. In addition to his career in television and movies, he also developed a career as a recording artist. He became so well known that he was often asked to perform in festivals and celebrations, appearing in traditional Mexican charro attire for these events. Gazcón chronicled his experience through his scrapbook, which is in the National Museum of American History's Archives Center.
In the 1950s, consumers made television the centerpiece of the home, fueling competition among broadcasters to create new products, new programming, new stations, and even new networks. Innovators, such as those behind the creation of independent Spanish-language stations and eventually the Spanish International Network (SIN), challenged established broadcasting companies by creating new programming in Spanish and catering to underserved audiences. Established in the early 1960s, SIN knit together independents and created new stations to serve a national audience. With a complex business and legal history, SIN eventually became Univision in the 1980s. In the decades after 1980, Spanish-language programing options grew with recognition of Latinx communities as powerful consumer groups and the advent of new broadcasting technologies such as cable and digital TV.
Description (Spanish)
Edgardo Gazcón creció en el seno de una familia de artistas y productores de cine en México. Después de completar su licenciatura y maestría en la Ciudad de México, se sintió atraído por la televisión y trabajó como actor en telenovelas producidas por Televisa. Viajó a Colombia, Puerto Rico y Estados Unidos para trabajar en telenovelas y películas. Más adelante, le ofrecieron un trabajo en Univision en Los Ángeles para participar en programas diurnos; después de varios años se pasó a Telemundo. Además de su carrera en televisión y cine, también desarrolló una carrera como artista de grabaciones. Era tan reconocido que a menudo se le pedía que participara en festivales y celebraciones, presentándose a estos eventos con el atuendo tradicional de charro mexicano. Gazcón documento sus experiencias en un álbum de recortes, que se encuentra en el Centro de Archivos del Museo Nacional de Historia Americana.
En la década de 1950, los consumidores hicieron de la televisión un componente central de sus hogares, fomentando la competencia entre las difusoras para crear nuevos productos, nueva programación, nuevas estaciones, e incluso nuevas redes. Los innovadores, como los creadores de los canales independientes de habla hispana y el Spanish International Network (SIN), desafiaron a las emisoras establecidas creando nuevos programas en español centradas en audiencias históricamente ignoradas. Establecido a principios de los sesenta, SIN unió a difusoras independentes y creó nuevas estaciones para responder a una audiencia nacional. Tras una compleja trayectoria empresarial y legal, SIN se convertiría en Univisión en la década de 1980. Durante las próximas décadas, las opciones de programación en español crecieron gracias al reconocimiento de la comunidad Latinx, como poderoso grupo de consumidores, y a la introducción de nuevas tecnologías de difusión, como el cable y la televisión digital.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1990
date worn
1990-09-15
date used
1990-2000
ID Number
2017.0340.02
catalog number
2017.0340.02
accession number
2017.0340
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2009
maker
Stop Staring! Designs Inc.
Estrada, Alicia
ID Number
2010.0003.02
catalog number
2010.0003.02
accession number
2010.0003
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1980
1980-1985
wearer
Gonzales, Rebecca
maker
Salazar, Jose Luis
manufacturer of fabric
Liberty & Co.
ID Number
2009.0252.01
catalog number
2009.0252.01
accession number
2009.0252
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
circa 2000
1998-2000
wearer
Anderson, Helen Elizabeth Carhart
maker
Macy's
ID Number
2013.0135.01
catalog number
2013.0135.01
accession number
2013.0135
Jacket worn by engineer Sal Castillo at KMEX-TV (Univision) in Los Angeles. Jackets marked with the call letters for television stations identified wearers as affiliated with the station when they were on location in the community.
Description
Jacket worn by engineer Sal Castillo at KMEX-TV (Univision) in Los Angeles. Jackets marked with the call letters for television stations identified wearers as affiliated with the station when they were on location in the community. Castillo served as Chief Engineer and Director of Technology/ Engineering at KMEX-TV, where he worked for over 30 years. The engineers at KMEX-TV had to be innovative and ingenious adapters of technology, often working with lower budgets for equipment than English-language stations.
In the 1950s, consumers made television the centerpiece of the home, fueling competition among broadcasters to create new products, new programming, new stations, and even new networks. Innovators, such as those behind the creation of independent Spanish-language stations and eventually the Spanish International Network (SIN), challenged established broadcasting companies by creating new programming in Spanish and catering to underserved audiences. Established in the early 1960s, SIN knit together independents and created new stations to serve a national audience. With a complex business and legal history, SIN eventually became Univision in the 1980s. In the decades after 1980, Spanish-language programing options grew with recognition of Latinx communities as powerful consumer groups and the advent of new broadcasting technologies such as cable and digital TV.
Description (Spanish)
Esta chaqueta usada por el ingeniero Sal Castillo en KMEX-TV (Univision) en Los Ángeles. Las chaquetas marcadas con las letras de identificación de las estaciones de televisión distinguían a quienes las vestían como afiliados a la estación cuando se trasladaban dentro de la comunidad. Castillo se desempeñó como y director de tecnología / ingeniería en KMEX-TV, donde trabajó durante más de 30 años. Los ingenieros de KMEX-TV tenían que ser adaptadores de tecnología, innovadores e ingeniosos, ya que a menudo debían trabajar con presupuestos para equipo más bajos que las estaciones que transmitían en inglés.
En la década de 1950, los consumidores hicieron de la televisión un componente central de sus hogares, fomentando la competencia entre las difusoras para crear nuevos productos, nueva programación, nuevas estaciones, e incluso nuevas redes. Los innovadores, como los creadores de los canales independientes de habla hispana y el Spanish International Network (SIN), desafiaron a las emisoras establecidas creando nuevos programas en español centradas en audiencias históricamente ignoradas. Establecido a principios de los sesenta, SIN unió a difusoras independentes y creó nuevas estaciones para responder a una audiencia nacional. Tras una compleja trayectoria empresarial y legal, SIN se convertiría en Univisión en la década de 1980. Durante las próximas décadas, las opciones de programación en español crecieron gracias al reconocimiento de la comunidad Latinx, como poderoso grupo de consumidores, y a la introducción de nuevas tecnologías de difusión, como el cable y la televisión digital.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1990 - 2000
1990 - 2000
referenced
Univision 34 Los Angeles
ID Number
2017.0343.01
catalog number
2017.0343.01
accession number
2017.0343
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
circa 1980
referenced
Reagan, Ronald Wilson
ID Number
2018.0001.08
accession number
2018.0001
catalog number
2018.0001.08

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