Dilys Blum, the esteemed curator of fashion and textiles who shaped the Philadelphia Museum of Art's renowned collection for nearly four decades, has died at the age of 77. Museum officials announced her passing, noting that she had retired only last summer after an illustrious 38-year career at the institution. As head of the costumes and textiles department, Blum was instrumental in transforming how the museum acquired, preserved, and presented historic clothing and fabric-based artworks. Her leadership ensured that fashion was recognized not merely as decorative craft but as a legitimate and vital form of artistic expression worthy of serious scholarly attention. Her death marks the end of an era for one of America's most respected fashion collections.
Blum's path to Philadelphia reflected a deep commitment to understanding fashion from multiple perspectives. She began her professional journey at the Museum of London, where she developed foundational expertise in textile conservation and fashion history. Subsequent positions at the Brooklyn Museum and the Chicago Conservation Center further honed her skills, allowing her to bridge the technical aspects of preservation with cultural interpretation. When she joined the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1987, she brought a rare combination of hands-on conservation knowledge and broad cultural insight that would define her nearly four-decade tenure. Museum Director and CEO Daniel Weiss later observed that her work fundamentally expanded the very idea of what belongs in an art museum.
Throughout her career, Blum organized exhibitions that revealed fashion's complex relationship with art movements and political tides. Her 2019 exhibition "Off the Wall" particularly showcased her innovative curatorial vision, examining how avant-garde artists in the 1960s and 1970s deliberately blurred the line between clothing and sculpture. The exhibition demonstrated her deep knowledge of experimental textile art and challenged visitors to reconsider conventional boundaries between functional objects and fine art. At the opening, Blum illustrated her open-minded approach by recounting how one artist had crocheted a vacuum cleaner for a sculpture class, responding with her characteristic wit, "Of course you could crochet a vacuum cleaner. Why not?" This anecdote captured her belief that artistic innovation should not be constrained by traditional categories.
Blum's final major project for the museum, the 2025 exhibition "BOOM: Art and Design of the 1940s," exemplified her ability to connect fashion with historical context. The show featured the work of French haute couture designer Elsa Schiaparelli, whose wartime designs balanced practicality with powerful symbolism. Blum drew particular attention to Schiaparelli's oversized pockets, which she called "cash-and-carry pockets." In a 2024 interview, she explained the wartime logic behind this innovation: "The idea was that if you were burdened with both a handbag and a gas mask, you couldn't carry both." This attention to how social conditions shape design choices was a hallmark of her curatorial method and resonated with contemporary audiences.
In addition to her exhibition work, Blum made substantial scholarly contributions through her published research. She authored several major books on fashion history, including "Shocking!: The Art and Fashion of Elsa Schiaparelli" (2003), "Roberto Capucci: Art Into Fashion" (2011), and "Patrick Kelly: Runway of Love" (2021). These publications established her as a leading voice in fashion scholarship and extended her influence far beyond Philadelphia. She also contributed essays to numerous catalogues and academic volumes, sharing her expertise with a global audience. Remarkably, her intellectual activity continued even after retirement; she completed an essay for the forthcoming catalogue of the museum's July 2026 exhibition "Workshop of the World: Arts and Crafts in Philadelphia."
The impact of Blum's work will resonate for generations throughout the museum world. As Director Weiss stated, "Dilys Blum leaves a remarkable legacy. Her work expanded the very idea of what belongs in an art museum and ensured that these objects are appreciated as vital expressions of culture and identity." Her colleagues remember her not only for her expertise but also for her generosity in mentoring young curators and her passion for making fashion accessible to diverse audiences. While the museum has not yet announced specific memorial plans, the countless artists, scholars, and visitors whose understanding of fashion was enriched by her work stand as a testament to her enduring influence on the field.
