Uthrecht, situated in the centre of the Netherlands, is famous as the birthplace of Gerrit Rietveld, whose name is synonymous with Dutch architecture. The Centraal Museum possesses the largest Rietveld collection in the world, and in addition has extensive collections of paintings, sculpture and applied art, as well as a section on historical Utrecht. The collections of applied art and fashion occupy a prominent position within the museum, and reflect design development, from simple utility to high fashion.