NEW YORK, NY.- This fall, a new book opens the dressing room and jewelry vault of one of the most stylish women of her time, sharing a personal history of twentieth-century fashion and taste. The Fashion and Style of Marjorie Merriweather Post places the remarkable fashion collection of Marjorie Merriweather Post—hundreds of garments, jewels, and accessories from the late 19th century through the 1960s—within the broader story of American fashion, textile design, and decorative-arts culture. Published by Rizzoli Electa in partnership with Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, the 200-page book, written by Megan J. Martinelli, Hillwood's curator of apparel, jewelry, accessories, and textiles, and featuring beautiful new photography by Alex Braun and Mark Finkenstaedt, along with a foreword by Kate Markert, Hillwood's executive director, will be released on September 8, 2026.

Marjorie Merriweather Post was the epitome of style and grace who had a lifelong engagement with dress. From her youth, she treated her clothing as a serious collection, preserving important pieces, sewing identification tags into special garments, saving photographs of herself dressed in ensembles and jewelry, and documenting where and when they were worn. Thanks to Post's vision and dedication, Hillwood has a complete and exquisite storehouse of costumes and accessories. Interestingly, this collection bridges two defining traditions in fashion history: the opulence of pre-industrial craftsmanship and the rise of modern style. This dichotomy ensured Post had a refined eye for handmade laces, delicate embroidery, custom dressmaking, and luxurious textiles while also appreciating the mode modern conveniences of repeatable garments in multiple colors and twentieth-century ready to wear.





Today, Post's wardrobe is housed at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, in Washington, D.C., her last home, which served as the culmination of a lifetime in business, philanthropy, art collecting, and estate management. As during Post's life, her intricate ensembles and spectacular accessories are displayed in her closets for visitors to enjoy. Hillwood is thrilled to delve further into the astounding collection—nearly 300 ensembles and 575 accessories. These extensive holdings of clothing, linens, embroideries, and antique laces reflect Post's unwavering respect for textile heritage.

"A renowned philanthropist, art collector, and business executive, Marjorie Post was also a maven of style, and her keen eye for artisanship and appreciation for finely crafted works extended to clothing and accessories," said Kate Markert, Hillwood's executive director. "She understood that these beautiful objects required meticulous care, and her modern approach—committing to preservation, reusing special pieces, and valuing the extraordinary work of creation—has ensured we are able to enjoy these spectacular garments today. We are grateful that in an act of generosity, she left all of these pieces for us to admire and enjoy."

This volume expands on previous publications highlighting Post's wearable collections—Ingenue to Icon, the story of Post's life through fashion, and Spectacular, an exploration into Post's magnificent gems and jewelry. Martinelli shares new information gathered from the close study of Post's garments, jewelry, linens, accessories, and textiles, examining previously overlooked parts of the costume collection and discovering important pieces by lesser-known designers and small boutique firms. Offering fresh insight into makers and materials represented in the collection, she shares research into how Post worked with designers, Post's approach to dressing beautifully while appreciating and reusing textiles, and our understanding of Post's evolving taste throughout her lifetime.

Post also carefully maintained her wardrobe throughout her life, explaining her practical attitude to Life magazine in 1964: "If you keep things up it's much less expensive than if you let it go and then you've got to do the whole thing over....it really pays in the long run." Post wore items multiple times, reworked them to keep them up to date, and cared for them so they remained intact and ready to wear. As today's consumers confront the impact of fast fashion, Post's thoughtful approach to dressing—and her commitment to restyling, reviving, and re-wearing items from her wardrobe—offers a timely model of sustainability, connoisseurship, and enduring style.

The Fashion and Style of Marjorie Merriweather Post reveals a complex understanding of Post's collecting and personal style, and its place within the larger fashion industry. Readers will find inspiration in the sumptuous fashions featured in the newly commissioned photography and in the narratives that encourage a thoughtful amassing and maintenance of clothing, all in the manner of Post.

Megan J. Martinelli is curator of apparel, jewelry, accessories, and textiles at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens. Kate Markert is the executive director of Hillwood.

THE FASHION AND STYLE OF MARJORIE MERRIWEATHER POST
By Megan J. Martinelli; Foreword by Kate Markert
Hardcover / 8.5" x 11" / 200 pages / 200 color and b/w illustrations
$57.50 U.S.; $75 CND / ISBN: 978-0-8478-7732-4
Rizzoli Electa / Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
Release date: September 8, 2026