Google Arts & Culture launches 'We Wear Culture' fashion archive with 180+ institutions

Google has partnered with over 180 cultural institutions from New York to Tokyo to launch 'We Wear Culture' on Google Arts & Culture, a digital archive exploring fashion history through virtual reality, 360° videos, Street View, and gigapixel images. The project features four sections: Icons, Movements, Behind the Scenes, and The Arts, covering styles from the ancient Silk Road to 18th-century Versailles and punk to contemporary design. Iconic pieces include Marilyn Monroe's high heels, Chanel's 1925 little black dress, and creations by Balenciaga, Dior, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent, Issey Miyake, and Rei Kawakubo. Photographers Helmut Newton and Irving Penn are featured. Among Italian partners is Fondazione Micol Fontana, preserving the legacy of the Fontana sisters—Zoe, Micol, and Giovanna—who pioneered Italian prêt-à-porter in the 1950s and dressed Hollywood stars like Linda Christian and Audrey Hepburn. The foundation contributed five virtual exhibitions with sketches, collections, and historical photos, including 7,000 sketches from the 1950s to 1980s. Amit Sood, director of Google Arts & Culture, said the project reveals the history behind everyday garments like jeans and the little black dress. The app is available on iOS and Android.