The Leiber Legacy
ABOUT
The Leibers
Leiber Collection Founders, famed artful handbag designer Judith Leiber and celebrated modernist artist Gerson Leiber, fell in love with the Hamptons in the early 1950s when they began coming ‘Out East’ as a respite from their busy life in New York City. Drawn by the extraordinary light quality, the quiet atmosphere, and the presence of other artistic, intellectual, and lively residents, they found Springs to be a fertile environment for their creative endeavors, whether in Fashion Design, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, or Gardening.
The Museum
In 2005, Gerson and Judith Leiber built a museum to house their art collection and chronicle their careers, offering an unparalleled retrospective of their creations over the past decades. The Leiber Collection offers unique insight into the astonishing story of Judith Leiber, a survivor of Hitler’s Europe who came to America and took the fashion accessory industry by storm, breaking taboos right and left, changing fashion history forever. We also chronicle the extraordinary seven-decade-long career of Gerson Leiber, exhibiting this highly accomplished and creative artist's stunning paintings, etchings, lithographs, and drawings.
The Permanent Collections
Judith’s handbags have been declared objets d’art by Geoffrey Beene, and in the New York Times, Hilton Kramer, the paper’s former premier art critic, praised Gerson for his mastery and skill of composition and color. Harold Koda, former curator in charge of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, wrote: “…there is a beautiful resonance of aesthetic interests between Judith and Gerson, especially in their mutual love of brilliant color and rigorous structure.”
The Sculpture Garden
They also created a magnificent Sculpture Garden to showcase the works of artists of their generation and future generations. The Leiber Sculpture Garden continues the Leibers’ lifelong commitment to supporting the arts by highlighting artists who were friends and neighbors of the Leibers, such as Bill King, Constantino Nivola, Hans Van de Bovenkamp, George Nama, Ronnie Chalif, and others. It also features contemporary artists creating some of the most exciting work of today, such as Almond Zigmund, Monica Banks, Philippe Cheng, Margaret Garrett, Toni Ross, and others.
Continuing the Inspiration
We also continued our commitment to honoring and preserving the rich artistic heritage of the East End with our exhibitions, Connie Fox and William King – Entangled, and Charlotte Park and James Brooks – Of This Place. We proudly continue the Leibers’ lifelong support of the arts through our Garden of Friends exhibition featuring today’s leading artists of the East End.
As The Leiber Collection celebrates its 21st anniversary, we find ourselves at an important moment of transition. For two decades, the museum has welcomed visitors from near and far free of charge, inviting the public to experience the enduring legacy of Judith and Gerson Leiber and to celebrate the East End’s rich artistic heritage through exhibitions featuring both historic masters and artists of today. As we enter a new era, we will be introducing memberships and modest admission fees in the coming year to help support our operations and programming.
We look forward to another 20 years of inspiring creativity, meaningful community engagement, and artistic excellence. With the continued support of our visitors, members, artists, and friends, The Leiber Collection will remain a vibrant destination where art, fashion, and the spirit of the East End converge—honoring the remarkable legacy of Judith and Gerson Leiber while nurturing the artists and audiences of generations to come.
Celebrate the legacy. Support the future. Make a donate today.
See us on
Historic Artists’ Sites of Long Island.
Watch the video with Judith & Gerson Leiber.
See The Leiber Collection on billboards in Times Square & NYC.
More About The Leiber Collection
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![A Judith Leiber handbag of a sitting polar bear covered in white and silver rhinestones on a plain gray background.]()
Our Mission
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![Close-up view of a blue sculpture with circular holes and metal pegs, surrounded by green tree leaves, with sunlight filtering through the trees.]()
The Sculpture Garden
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![A rectangular clutch purse by Judith Leiber decorated with rhinestones, featuring an illustration of a woman with pink hair, dressed in revealing clothing, holding a cocktail glass, with a man in a tuxedo beside her.]()
Judith Leiber & Her Famed Handbag Collection
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![A painting of a woman by Gerson in a leopard print dress sitting with her arms outstretched, against a background with a beige sky and a dark foreground.]()
Gerson Leiber & His Painting Collection
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![New York magazine logo stylized black text spelling 'New York' on a white background.]()
The Leiber Collection In the Press
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![A black and white photograph of Gerson Leiber in a tuxedo with glasses and Judith Leiber in a dress holding glasses, both standing in front of a microphone.]()
Judith and Gerson Leiber Obituaries
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![A slice of grapefruit clutch purse by the famous handbag designer Judith Leiber decorated with pink and white rhinestones.]()
Current, Upcoming, & Past Exhibitions & Events
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![Decorative wrought iron gate at The Leiber Collection entrance with floral and butterfly motifs, flanked by brick pillars topped with white spherical ornaments, leading into a garden pathway surrounded by lush green trees.]()
Visit Us
