The internationally acclaimed fashion design exhibition The White Shirt According to Me. Gianfranco Ferré makes its U.S. debut at Phoenix Art Museum. This unique fashion exhibition is an innovative showcase of Ferré’s most significant white shirts, technical designs, photographs and videos from the archives of the Gianfranco Ferré Foundation.

Known as the “architect of fashion” and the purveyor of “power dressing,” Italian designer Gianfranco Ferré (1944-2007) saw the white shirt as more than just a classic. Over his 30 year career, he deconstructed and reconstructed its basic elements, infusing them with high fashion details. “In the lexicon of contemporary elegance, I like to think that the white shirt is a universal term that each woman may ‘pronounce’ as she prefers . . .” - Gianfranco Ferré.

Trained as an architect at Milan Polytechnic, Ferré’s style emphasized strong silhouettes with clean, modern lines. Ferré’s sophisticated designs carry the cachet of “made in Italy” and, in 1978, Ferré launched a namesake woman’s prêt-à-porter collection, followed by menswear and several accessory categories. He also served as Artistic Director of Christian Dior from 1989-1997.

“Ferré was part of a pivotal generation of Italian designers that included Gianni Versace and Giorgio Armani. Their designs solidified the importance of Italian fashion internationally during the late 1970s. We are excited to bring Ferre’s vision and history to the Valley directly from the archives in Milan.” – Dennita Sewell, Curator of Fashion Design, Phoenix Art Museum.

A companion exhibition, Gianfranco Ferré Designs, is also on view in Phoenix Art Museum’s Ellman Fashion Design Gallery. This complementary exhibit features over 100 of Ferre’s illustrations and photographs paired with 8 striking ensembles that exemplify Gianfranco Ferré’s iconic design style. Visitors have the rare opportunity to explore a world renowned designer’s creative process from concept to sketch to finished product.

The White Shirt According to Me. Gianfranco Ferré is on view at Phoenix Art Museum November 4, 2015 through March 6, 2016. This exhibition is designed, produced and curated by the Gianfranco Ferré Foundation in Milan and by the Prato Textile Museum.