Alden Cole graduated from RISD in 1966 with an aim to become a fashion designer. He spent two years in the Air Force from 1966 – 1968, during which time he sketched fashion ideas in ball point pen and colored pencil. By 1970, he had given up the idea of being a famous designer, and spent the early seventies as a fashion illustrator in New York City. He illustrated merchandising booklets for DuPont de Nemours, the Wool Bureau, and others. His work captures a unique time period in the history of fashion.
The collection, which is part of the Graphic Design and Illustration Archive at RISD, consists of folders of his fashion sketches, portfolios of original work, and binders of his professional printed work. There are also two Costume Evolution sketchbooks which were done while a student at RISD, which are part of the RISD Archives.
