Unveiled: The Veil in Fashion

Frida McKeon Loyola
Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice

About this Item

Title
Unveiled: The Veil in Fashion
Contributor Names
McKeon Loyola, Frida (Author)
Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York. Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice (Degree granting institution)
Byrd, Sarah (Thesis advisor)
Davidson, Hilary (Fashion historian) (Thesis advisor)
Date
2025
Degree Information
MA Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York 2025
Department: Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice
Advisors: Sarah Byrd; Hilary Davidson
Committee member: Brooke Carlson
Abstract
The veil is a highly polarizing topic today, laden with heavy symbolism it is frequently positioned in binaries—East versus West, oppressive or liberatory, a symbol of modesty and sensuality. Looking past these oppositions, the veil is also a point of intersection for complex themes such as women's agency, religion, politics, and culture. In the twenty-first century, the veil has increasingly become associated with Islamic religious customs. However, the practice of covering the head, hair, and face have been observed by women across various cultures and faiths throughout history. Unveiled: The Veil in Fashion is a proposed exhibition that seeks to widen the aperture of this practice. Previous exhibitions have explored the veil solely as a religious object or as the appendage of a wedding ensemble. Unveiled acknowledges the religious context of the veil and moves on. The exhibition explores the veil through its complex interwoven symbolism and brings to the fore women's agency while engaging in this practice.
Subject
Fashion
Museum studies
Textile research
Art
Keyword
Fine arts
Fashion exhibition
Self-expression
Veiling symbolism
Women's agency
Rights
In Copyright
The copyright for this work is held by its author/creator(s). Usage of this material beyond what is permitted by copyright law must first be cleared with the rights-holder(s). This work has been made available online by the Fashion Institute of Technology Gladys Marcus Library strictly for research and educational purposes. If you are the copyright holder for this work and have any objections to this work being made available online, please notify us immediately at [email protected].
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Identifier
FIT Repository ID: etd_001042
Submission ID: 10471
URN: ISBN:9798273338425
Related Materials
Also available from ProQuest
Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 87-07
Masters Abstracts International
Type
Text
Thesis
Language
English
Publisher
Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses,

Citation

McKeon Loyola, F. (2025). Unveiled: The Veil in Fashion [Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York]. FIT Institutional Repository. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/669372
McKeon Loyola, Frida. Unveiled: The Veil in Fashion. 2025. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, Master's thesis. FIT Digital Repository, https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/669372
McKeon Loyola, Frida. "Unveiled: The Veil in Fashion." Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, 2025. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/669372