SCAD Fash Atlanta opens retrospective on C.Z. Guest featuring archival loans and student programming

The SCAD Fash Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta opened an exhibition titled C.Z. Guest: Portrait of an American Style Icon on Oct. 15, 2026, marking the debut public presentation of over 40 ensembles and accessories from the late tastemaker's personal wardrobe, according to a press release shared by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). The featured garments, donated to the SCAD Museum of Art Permanent Collection by Guest's daughter, Cornelia Guest, alongside select loans from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, chronicle 20th-century American luxury through designs by Mainbocher, Adolfo Sardiña, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, Courrèges, Chanel, Huntsman Savile Row, and Carolina Herrera. Curated by university staff in collaboration with creative consultant Stefano Tonchi and presented by Italian luxury fashion house Max Mara, the exhibition runs through Feb. 21, 2027.

Organized into thematic sections, the retrospective examines how Guest's personal wardrobe bridged functional American sportswear with high-society couture, according to the press release. The exhibition pairs physical garments with archival imagery from photographers such as Slim Aarons, Cecil Beaton, Irving Penn, Lord Snowdon, and Bruce Weber to contextualize her roles across Hollywood acting in the 1940s, midcentury high society, and her private life as an equestrian and horticulturist at her estates in Palm Beach and Long Island. A formal fall celebration on Nov. 10 will feature a members preview, a private reception, and an exclusive preview of highlights from an upcoming SCAD-produced documentary detailing Guest's life and cultural footprint.

From an academic perspective, the retrospective functions as an active pedagogical resource integrated directly into the university's curriculum, according to the press release. Students enrolled across SCAD degree programs, including fashion design, fashion marketing and management, luxury and brand management, photography, writing, and film and television, will directly engage with the curators and industry collaborators throughout the exhibition's run. By converting archival donations and institutional loans into primary research tools, SCAD Fash provides students with direct access to garment construction, textile analysis, and heritage brand storytelling, reinforcing institutional positioning around career-directed design education and archival preservation.