SAVANNAH, GEORGIA — The Savannah College of Art and Design is thrilled to announce the exhibition Isabel Toledo: A Love Letter, opening Aug. 14 at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, Ga. Curated by SCAD FASH creative director Rafael Gomes in close collaboration with Isabel’s husband, noted fashion illustrator and artist Ruben Toledo, A Love Letter is the first posthumous exhibition of the designer’s work to be presented in the U.S.
"One word evokes the legacy of Isabel Toledo: unforgettable. This beloved designer eschewed celebrity, though all the world could not look away. She and her creative partner and husband, Ruben, embraced joy at every turn (she was known to hula hoop in her studio) and they generously donated their time (and endless bolts of fabric!) to SCAD students over the years. Isabel Toledo: A Love Letter features illustrations and curation by Ruben, her devoted champion, as well as garments from Isabel’s personal wardrobe. SCAD proudly invites students and guests to experience Isabel’s inestimable genius and joie de vivre at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah. XOXO, Isabel!"
— PAULA WALLACE | SCAD President and Founder
Presented in SCAD MOA’s André Leon Talley Gallery, A Love Letter honors the legacy and resonance of Isabel’s ingenious artistry. The exhibition highlights the Cuban-American designer’s expertise in techniques, textiles, construction, and color and celebrates her enduring status as a legendary figure in fashion. Revered among her peers as a "designer’s designer," Isabel was focused on craft and guided by emotions, with a unique process that translated into exquisite creations, masterfully executed with precision. A Love Letter presents nearly 40 signature Isabel Toledo garments — including never-before-seen looks from the Toledo archives — with complementing illustrations by Ruben. The exhibition also features the SCAD-produced film Echoes and Vibrations, which documents their eternal love story.
"I am excited to see the ongoing creative dialogue between Isabel’s work and the next generation of designers and artists with this beautiful exhibition at the SCAD Museum of Art. It is my honor to share never-before-seen Isabel Toledo designs unearthed by SCAD FASH creative director Rafael Gomes from our extensive archives, and it is my hope to see her work spark new ideas in the open minds and able hands of SCAD students. Both Isabel and I believed that art and design are living languages that grow when shared. A new visual vocabulary is born by deeply exploring art and design, which SCAD MOA does so brilliantly and thoroughly."
— RUBEN TOLEDO | Artist and fashion illustrator
Born in Cuba in 1960, Isabel emigrated to New York with her family as a young girl. She met Ruben Toledo in high school, originating a lifelong partnership in which they served as each other’s muse, collaborator, and confidant. Inherently curious and creative, Isabel was a self-taught fashion designer who began making clothes for herself as a teenager, soon appearing on international "Best Dressed" lists. She honed her approach during her time working under legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, where she had intimate access to garments by iconic couturiers such as Cristóbal Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, Madeleine Vionnet, and Christian Dior. After presenting her first namesake collection in 1985 to critical acclaim, Isabel maintained a fully independent label dedicated to her craft while deflecting the limelight. This pure devotion to her work and honest artistic mindset led her to become one of the most respected fashion designers in the industry.
"Isabel Toledo’s timeless creations are remarkable in their impeccable technique. She was one of the most beloved and iconic figures in American fashion. SCAD is honored to celebrate her incredible body of work and to intimately collaborate with Ruben to pay homage to her enduring legacy and to Isabel and Ruben’s eternal love story."
— RAFAEL GOMES | SCAD FASH creative director
Isabel and Ruben Toledo have had a long-standing affinity for and relationship with SCAD. In 2009, the university presented the Toledos with the André Leon Talley Award, honoring their exceptional accomplishments in art and design. In Spring 2022, SCAD debuted Isabel Toledo: A Love Letter at the university’s SCAD FASH Lacoste museum in Provence, the first posthumous exhibition of Isabel’s work internationally and the first presentation of her designs in France.
On Sept. 26, 2024, SCAD MOA will host a public reception for the opening of the university’s fall exhibitions. In addition to Ruben Toledo, other exhibiting contemporary artists in attendance will include George Clinton, Anthony Olubunmi Akinbola, Monira Al Qadiri, Anya Molyviatis, and Olimpia Zagnoli. Talented SCAD students from an array of top-ranked degree programs — including fashion, illustration, painting, art history, fibers, accessory design, and luxury and brand management — will have the opportunity to intimately engage with Isabel’s work through talks and museum tours led by Ruben.
Isabel Toledo: A Love Letter is on view Aug. 14–Dec. 26, 2024.
ABOUT ISABEL TOLEDO
Isabel Toledo (née Izquierdo) was born in Cuba in 1960 and emigrated to the U.S. with her parents as a political refugee. Settling in West New York, Isabel met Ruben Toledo, also a Cuban refugee, in high school. Their artistic collaboration began immediately and continued as the relationship deepened. They married in 1984. The Toledos were embraced by the vibrant downtown New York art scene, befriending and collaborating with Andy Warhol, Klaus Nomi, Kim Hastreiter, and Antonio Lopez while drawing the international attention of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix, Karl Lagerfeld, and Manolo Blahnik. Isabel, who had begun making all her own clothes as a teenager, appeared frequently on international "Best Dressed" lists.
Isabel’s approach to fashion was honed during her time at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, where she worked under famed fashion editor Diana Vreeland. There, she had hands-on access to works designed by icons Madeleine Vionnet, Coco Chanel, Cristóbal Balenciaga, and Christian Dior, among others. In 1985, Isabel presented her first runway show, which was lauded by the New York fashion press. Her designs were sold at Barney’s New York, Bergdorf Goodman, and Colette in Paris. Isabel was committed to making her designs available to women of all sizes and economic backgrounds, which inspired her to pursue numerous collaborations including with Target, Payless Shoe Source, and Lane Bryant. In 2005, Isabel and Ruben were jointly awarded a National Design Award by the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. A year later Isabel was named creative director of Anne Klein, where she presented two well-received collections before returning to her own work as an independent designer. In 2009, SCAD presented Isabel and Ruben Toledo with the André Leon Talley Award, which honors exceptional accomplishments in art and design.
Isabel’s garments and Ruben’s artworks have been featured in numerous museum exhibitions at venues including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Smithsonian. In 2019 Isabel passed away after a brief illness. Ruben continues to archive her work and preserve her legacy.
SCAD Museum of Art
The SCAD Museum of Art features more than 10 dynamic gallery spaces presenting exhibitions and commissioned works by international emerging and established artists. The museum serves visitors and students alike, enriching both the high caliber of education at SCAD and the cultural life of the Savannah community and beyond. Exhibitions range from painting, sculpture, and photography to digital media, fashion, and jewelry, complementing the artistic disciplines offered at the university. The museum also hosts public programming year-round, including lectures, gallery talks, workshops, and film screenings.
SCAD MOA has presented exhibitions by artists including Miya Ando, Radcliffe Bailey, Nick Cave, Doreen Lynette Garner, Katharina Grosse, Subodh Gupta, Hassan Hajjaj, Alfredo Jaar, Isaac Julien, Shirin Neshat, Rashaad Newsome, Raúl de Nieves, Lorraine O’Grady, Ebony G. Patterson, Rose B. Simpson, Kehinde Wiley, and Saya Woolfalk, as well as site-specific installations by Rachel Feinstein, Jorge Pardo, Odili Donald Odita, Daniel Arsham, Jose Dávila, and others.
An award-winning architectural icon, the museum attracts visitors from around the world to the heart of Savannah’s vibrant downtown historic district and incorporates the oldest surviving pre-Civil War railroad depot into its striking contemporary design. Recognized with awards from the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, the Congress for the New Urbanism, the International Interior Design Association, and the Historic Savannah Foundation, the museum received the American Institute of Architects Honor Award for Architecture, a pinnacle achievement.
SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs across locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow. SCAD enrolls more than 17,500 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 100 countries. The future-minded SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and myriad advanced learning resources, affording students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university’s renowned research lab and prototype generator. SCAD has earned top rankings for degree programs in interior design, architecture, film, fashion, digital media, and more. Career success is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. A 2023 study found that 99% of SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more.
Media contact
Scottie Walden Albertson
Senior Director of Public Relations
[email protected]
470.637.4161
JJ Maxwell
Associate Vice President, PR + Marketing
[email protected]
912.525.5362