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Tim Gunn joins Dr. Valerie Steele in conversation at MFIT's 2018 Fashion and Physique symposium. They discuss fashion history, analyzing how 19th-century corsetry shaped an "ideal" silhouette and established long-lasting, often unrealistic body standards. The conversation further explores the evolution of these standards, the modern resurgence of corsetry through waist training, and the fashion industry's enduring reliance on thin, young models.

🎧Stream this episode and all our previous episodes on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Spotify.

The Fashion Culture Podcast provides an opportunity to revisit past Fashion Culture Public Programs.

#TimGunn #FashionCulture #FashionPodcast #MuseumPodcast #MuseumAtFIT #FashionHistory @timgunn @fitnyc

Our next major exhibition is “Doll Dressing,” opening September 16, 2026. This exhibition centers on the longstanding connections between dolls and high fashion. Historically, dolls operated as miniature fashion models—they were shipped around Europe and abroad, communicating the latest styles in three-dimensional detail. By the early 20th century, dolls were not merely sharing the latest trends, but setting them.

Curated by Dr. Colleen Hill, senior curator of costume, the exhibition explores the ways in which dolls have influenced fashion and dressed appearance. Doll dressing takes many forms, ranging from the appeal of youthful baby doll dresses, to the 2D quality of "paper doll" looks, to the influence of creepy dolls on fashion. It encompasses clothing and accessories, hair and makeup, and even movement and gestures that take their cue from dolls. Beginning with a brief history of fashion dolls from the 18th century to the present, “Doll Dressing” continues with designs from Marc Jacobs, Patrick Kelly, Lanvin, Jeremy Scott for Moschino, Martin Margiela, Anna Sui, and many others.

#DollDressing runs September 16, 2026 – January 3, 2027.

[Image: Moschino Couture (Jeremy Scott), trompe l'oeil printed jacket and skirt, spring 2017, museum purchase]

#MuseumAtFIT #FashionHistory #FashionDesign @fitnyc @jeremyscott @moschino @colleen_hill_fashion

The museum galleries are temporarily closed as we prepare for the Art & Design Graduating Student Exhibition opening May 13th.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

#MuseumAtFIT #StudentExhibition #FITGSE @fitnyc @fit_artdesign @fit_artdesign_exhibitions

“I think of myself as an artist first, fashion designer second.” - Giorgio di Sant’ Angelo
Giorgio di Sant’ Angelo was born #OnThisDay in 1933 in Florence. He later lived at his grandparents’ home in Argentina, but eventually settled in New York City. In 1969, Sant’ Angelo presented his first ready-to-wear collection. His fantastical creations were free from zippers and traditional tailoring techniques, and he made liberal use of figure-hugging, stretch fabrics. The designer’s radical, brightly-colored creations from the early 1970s were well attuned to the hippie era, and they received extensive press coverage.

[Image: Giorgio di Sant'Angelo (1933 - 1989), multicolor cotton dress, fall 1971, USA, gift of Beatrice Renfield]

#MuseumAtFIT #FashionHistory #FashionDesign #DesignerBirthday #GiorgioDiSantAngelo @fitnyc

#BirdDay was established in 1894 by Charles Almanzo Babcock to promote bird conservation. It is a day dedicated to celebrating birds, protecting their habitats, and educating the public. So while fashion has a problematic history when it comes to protecting birds, there are many designers who have focused on ways to celebrate them! The stylized handle of this Bergdorf Goodman handbag suggests the elegant neck of a swan.

Some fun facts about swans: Most swan species form monogamous pair bonds that often last for life. They perform synchronized "dances" to strengthen their connection, often dipping their heads together to form a heart shape. Despite their heavy size, swans are powerful flyers that can reach speeds of up to 60–70 miles per hour. Threats to wild populations include lead poisoning from fishing tackle and collisions with power lines. But happily, Trumpeter swans, once nearly extinct in North America, have made a healthy comeback thanks to dedicated reintroduction programs.

[Bergdorf Goodman, suede and acrylic bag, c.1938, USA, gift of Betti H. Salzman]
#MuseumAtFIT #FashionDesign

May 1st is #InternationalWorkersDay, a day recognized in countries around the world.
Today we’re looking at a few fashion designers who have acknowledged the importance of laborers, both in their industry and others.

Slide one: Patrick Kelly’s denim overalls dress pays tribute to the Black sharecroppers who suffered grossly uneven power dynamics with landowners while they worked hard to produce cotton and food crops.
Slide two: Rick Owens partnered with the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) to feature their iconic Eagle Mark logo in his spring 2020 “Tecuatl” collection, highlighting the importance of immigrant farm workers, especially during the global pandemic.
Slide three: Yeohlee Teng’s jacket contains a label with the seamstress’s name, “Sue,” sewn under the brand label. The inclusion of Sue’s name makes her role in the jacket’s creation visible and reflects Teng’s high regard for garment workers. In 2010, Teng told the New York Times, “The industry itself has to value what it has. It has to value the hands that really influence the product.”

[Patrick Kelly, denim overalls dress, fall 1987, USA, gift of Bjorn G. Amelan and Bill T. Jones // Rick Owens man's ensemble, cotton, leather, and plastic, spring 2020, France, gift of Rick Owens // Yeohlee Teng jacket, gold metallic and black silk with gold sequins and sable, fall 1997, USA, gift of Yeohlee New York]

May 1st is #InternationalWorkersDay, a day recognized in countries around the world.
Today we’re looking at a few fashion designers who have acknowledged the importance of laborers, both in their industry and others.

Slide one: Patrick Kelly’s denim overalls dress pays tribute to the Black sharecroppers who suffered grossly uneven power dynamics with landowners while they worked hard to produce cotton and food crops.
Slide two: Rick Owens partnered with the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) to feature their iconic Eagle Mark logo in his spring 2020 “Tecuatl” collection, highlighting the importance of immigrant farm workers, especially during the global pandemic.
Slide three: Yeohlee Teng’s jacket contains a label with the seamstress’s name, “Sue,” sewn under the brand label. The inclusion of Sue’s name makes her role in the jacket’s creation visible and reflects Teng’s high regard for garment workers. In 2010, Teng told the New York Times, “The industry itself has to value what it has. It has to value the hands that really influence the product.”

[Patrick Kelly, denim overalls dress, fall 1987, USA, gift of Bjorn G. Amelan and Bill T. Jones // Rick Owens man's ensemble, cotton, leather, and plastic, spring 2020, France, gift of Rick Owens // Yeohlee Teng jacket, gold metallic and black silk with gold sequins and sable, fall 1997, USA, gift of Yeohlee New York]

May 1st is #InternationalWorkersDay, a day recognized in countries around the world.
Today we’re looking at a few fashion designers who have acknowledged the importance of laborers, both in their industry and others.

Slide one: Patrick Kelly’s denim overalls dress pays tribute to the Black sharecroppers who suffered grossly uneven power dynamics with landowners while they worked hard to produce cotton and food crops.
Slide two: Rick Owens partnered with the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) to feature their iconic Eagle Mark logo in his spring 2020 “Tecuatl” collection, highlighting the importance of immigrant farm workers, especially during the global pandemic.
Slide three: Yeohlee Teng’s jacket contains a label with the seamstress’s name, “Sue,” sewn under the brand label. The inclusion of Sue’s name makes her role in the jacket’s creation visible and reflects Teng’s high regard for garment workers. In 2010, Teng told the New York Times, “The industry itself has to value what it has. It has to value the hands that really influence the product.”

[Patrick Kelly, denim overalls dress, fall 1987, USA, gift of Bjorn G. Amelan and Bill T. Jones // Rick Owens man's ensemble, cotton, leather, and plastic, spring 2020, France, gift of Rick Owens // Yeohlee Teng jacket, gold metallic and black silk with gold sequins and sable, fall 1997, USA, gift of Yeohlee New York]

It’s International Dance Day! 💃🕺Did you know that dance and fashion have shared a fascinating history? 🌟 From the traditional tulles of the 19th century to the slinky styles of the '70s disco era, fashion and dance have reflected cultural trends. So today, let’s honor the pas de deux of dance and fashion, whether that’s the liberating effects of the tango or the influence of ballet on Japanese girl culture! 🌍✨ #InternationalDanceDay

Enjoy exploring our 2014 exhibition “Dance & Fashion.” You can even stream talks from the symposium where fashion experts explore various aspects of the reciprocal relationship between dance and fashion. https://exhibitions.fitnyc.edu/dance-and-fashion/

[Installation image from “Dance & Fashion” which was curated by Dr. Valerie Steele]

In March, The Museum at FIT completed its 10th annual Kindergarten School Program with students at PS 33 Chelsea Prep in conjunction with the MFIT exhibition “Art X Fashion.” Weekly visits to the kindergarten classroom explored the “Elements of Art”—line, shape, color, form, and texture—and investigated their relationship to fashion. Students made their own art and, with the help of FIT’s childrenswear students, turned their artwork into fashion accessories. The program culminated in a trip to MFIT to visit the exhibition, as well as a display of childrenswear designs by the FIT students who participated in the program and drew inspiration from their experience. The month-long program brought together Chelsea Prep kindergarten teachers and students, the MFIT education team, teaching artist Annina Christensen, and FIT professor Lauren Zodel and her Explorations in Childrenswear students.

#MuseumAtFIT #MuseumEducation #ArtXFashionMFIT @fitnyc @fit_childrenswear @m.marra.alvarez

In March, The Museum at FIT completed its 10th annual Kindergarten School Program with students at PS 33 Chelsea Prep in conjunction with the MFIT exhibition “Art X Fashion.” Weekly visits to the kindergarten classroom explored the “Elements of Art”—line, shape, color, form, and texture—and investigated their relationship to fashion. Students made their own art and, with the help of FIT’s childrenswear students, turned their artwork into fashion accessories. The program culminated in a trip to MFIT to visit the exhibition, as well as a display of childrenswear designs by the FIT students who participated in the program and drew inspiration from their experience. The month-long program brought together Chelsea Prep kindergarten teachers and students, the MFIT education team, teaching artist Annina Christensen, and FIT professor Lauren Zodel and her Explorations in Childrenswear students.

#MuseumAtFIT #MuseumEducation #ArtXFashionMFIT @fitnyc @fit_childrenswear @m.marra.alvarez

In March, The Museum at FIT completed its 10th annual Kindergarten School Program with students at PS 33 Chelsea Prep in conjunction with the MFIT exhibition “Art X Fashion.” Weekly visits to the kindergarten classroom explored the “Elements of Art”—line, shape, color, form, and texture—and investigated their relationship to fashion. Students made their own art and, with the help of FIT’s childrenswear students, turned their artwork into fashion accessories. The program culminated in a trip to MFIT to visit the exhibition, as well as a display of childrenswear designs by the FIT students who participated in the program and drew inspiration from their experience. The month-long program brought together Chelsea Prep kindergarten teachers and students, the MFIT education team, teaching artist Annina Christensen, and FIT professor Lauren Zodel and her Explorations in Childrenswear students.

#MuseumAtFIT #MuseumEducation #ArtXFashionMFIT @fitnyc @fit_childrenswear @m.marra.alvarez

Beloved FIT alum Norma Kamali has designed numerous notable looks. She’s also an inspiring speaker!

#FashionCulture @normakamali @fitnyc @normakamalife

This #ThrowbackThursday we’re celebrating Roy Halston Frowick, born #OnThisDay in 1932 in Des Moines, Iowa. He was one of the most influential American designers of the 1970s who designed clothes that were sleek, sophisticated, and above all, glamorous. Halston's fashion shows were star-studded events, with socialites and celebrities such as Babe Paley, Liza Minnelli, Elsa Peretti, and Bianca Jagger in attendance.

Enjoy a few images from MFIT’s 1991 exhibition, “Halston: Absolute Modernism” for a bonus #TBT!
#MuseumAtFIT #FashionHistory #FashionExhibition #Halson #DesignerBirthday @fitnyc

This #ThrowbackThursday we’re celebrating Roy Halston Frowick, born #OnThisDay in 1932 in Des Moines, Iowa. He was one of the most influential American designers of the 1970s who designed clothes that were sleek, sophisticated, and above all, glamorous. Halston's fashion shows were star-studded events, with socialites and celebrities such as Babe Paley, Liza Minnelli, Elsa Peretti, and Bianca Jagger in attendance.

Enjoy a few images from MFIT’s 1991 exhibition, “Halston: Absolute Modernism” for a bonus #TBT!
#MuseumAtFIT #FashionHistory #FashionExhibition #Halson #DesignerBirthday @fitnyc

This #ThrowbackThursday we’re celebrating Roy Halston Frowick, born #OnThisDay in 1932 in Des Moines, Iowa. He was one of the most influential American designers of the 1970s who designed clothes that were sleek, sophisticated, and above all, glamorous. Halston's fashion shows were star-studded events, with socialites and celebrities such as Babe Paley, Liza Minnelli, Elsa Peretti, and Bianca Jagger in attendance.

Enjoy a few images from MFIT’s 1991 exhibition, “Halston: Absolute Modernism” for a bonus #TBT!
#MuseumAtFIT #FashionHistory #FashionExhibition #Halson #DesignerBirthday @fitnyc

Read about Fashion this #EarthDay // For centuries, the fashion industry has struggled to reconcile style with sustainability. “Historical Perspectives on Sustainable Fashion,” co-authored by MFIT curator Colleen Hill, will transport you back in time to discover the historical dimensions of today's sustainable fashion movement. An array of success stories and cautionary tales provide both inspiration and warnings for the eco-conscious designer, encouraging an innovative approach that builds on predecessors' discoveries to move the practice of fashion forward. The original publication emerged from MFIT's groundbreaking 2010 exhibition “Eco-Fashion: Going Green.”
Buy a copy today!

#SustainableFashion #ExhibitionPublication #FashionPublication @bloomsburyfashion @colleen_hill_fashion