The Vision, Journey and Mission...
“A fashionable history behind the clothes, culture and the women who wore them”
TMCS is a small non for profit 501(3) c historical society and fashion community established in 2017 and located in
St. Louis, Missouri.
TMCS primarily acquires donations from the St. Louis metropolitan area, thus adding to the history, fashion and culture of St. Louis women, embracing all walks of life.
Vision:
Create a new found awareness of fashion, history and culture, respectively featuring St. Louis women, from all walks of life; past, present and future by establishing a fashion community of vested members who will keep their history alive through the collection of oral histories and building a viable historic costume collection to be seen and used in St. Louis and beyond.
Mission:
TMCS is a non-for- profit fashion community founded in 2017 with the purpose of building a viable historical costume collection through preservation, oral histories and research for the exploration of women's history through fashion and culture in St. Louis and beyond. The Modern Classic Society will contribute to the knowledge and understanding of women's history and dress as related to fashion and culture.
The Modern Classic Society is a “little museum”
Dr. Lisa S. Thompson
Founder Fashion Historian,
Independent Researcher, Curator,
Buyer & Stylist
Dr. Lisa S. Thompson,
My Story.....
The initial vibe that sparked the inspiration and creation of The Modern Classic Society was my desire to look and feel like a real woman who commanded her own style through the fashions of women past. Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by women who gave meaning to what it meant to be “fashionable” by the clothes they wore and the life they live. After years of collecting and admiring vintage wears and the women who wore them, the vision for The Modern Classic Society was realized in 2017.
My journey thus far has also led me to learn more about the “fashionable women” in my family, here in America and Jamaica. Having a love for fashion history and connecting the garments to the women wore them, ultimately provides a clearer understanding of who the woman is or was through her dress and lifestyle.
The Modern Classic Society historic costume and oral history collections are a result of my love for estate sales, resale/thrift stores of all types and personal referrals/donations from individuals who see value in what I am doing. This same value and appreciation for women’s history and dress is what has taken my friendship with Helen Douglas- Taylor to a partnership of operating a non for profit historical society.
Today I am proud to celebrate St. Louis women from all walks of life by visually displaying and expressing their history through fashion, dress and culture. The Modern Classic Society is a “little museum ".
Helen’s journey to The Creative Director of The Modern Classic Society. Born in Chicago in 1960 to a mother who demonstrated creativity, fashion and thriftiness. My earliest recognition was her making me a red dress from a curtain when I was three. That laid the foundation for repurpose and reuse. At the same time all the women in my family dressed to impress; everyday women looking like they belong in a magazine. With the backdrop of Chicago where fashion (colors, textures, hair, makeup & accessories) was as normal and natural as breathing fresh air. My love for clothes, beauty, creativity and
uniqueness was birthed. My Barbie doll became my muse and the sewing machine became my instrument. I’ve lived a life nurturing my gifts and embracing my individuality.
Partnering with my friend, Dr. Lisa S. Thompson, is a natural extension and a full circle experience that brings my passion, experiences, education, my love for women, their history, their clothes, and an opportunity to preserve all its beauty.
Helen Douglas-Taylor
aka. Ms. D. T.
Creative Director,
The Modern Classic Society