The Museum at FIT Fashion Culture Podcast
Episodes
Yves Saint Laurent's Mondrian Dress Series | Fashion Culture
01 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Piet Mondrian's abstract paintings were appropriated by various aspects of popular culture throughout the 1960s, notably by Yves Saint Laurent in his ...
Robin Givhan on Virgil Abloh with Dr. Elizabeth Way | Fashion Culture
01 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Givhan, the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, presents her new book, Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh. A...
Fashion Design in Colombia | Africa's Fashion Diaspora Symposium
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Colombian designer Lia Samantha Lozano, a pioneer of Afro-Colombian fashion and speaks with Professor Dr. Tamara J. Walker about Lozano's eponymous br...
Transforming Fashion Education | New Directions in Fashion Research Symposium
01 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can fashion schools institutionally cultivate support and accelerate the many changes already happening in the classroom around inclusion and equi...
Olivier Rousteing in Conversation with Valerie Steele
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Olivier Rousteing, creative director of the house of Balmain, joins Dr. Valerie Steele for an intimate conversation with FIT students. He recalls his ...
Television's Most Stylish Shows with Hal Rubenstein | Fashion Culture
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Costume design can make or break a character or TV show. Author, consultant, fashion director, and media personality Hal Rubenstein shares amusing ins...
Hilfiger and Hip Hop Artists | Fashion Culture
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Andy Hilfiger reminisces with MFIT curator Elizabeth Way about the early days of Tommy Hilfiger and how Hip Hop artists incorporated the brand into th...
Sustainable Solutions: Circularity in Fashion Businesses | Fashion Culture
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is circular design and how does it fit in the fashion industry? A circular economy is a production and consumption model that emphasizes sharing,...
Objects of Wonder in "Fashioning Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities" | Fashion Culture
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Museum at FIT's current exhibition Fashioning Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities is all about sparking awe. In conversation with Randy Cohen of the ...
Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion | Fashion Culture
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For #WomensHistoryMonth, listen in to this MFIT Fashion Culture Podcast episode highlighting Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s life and influence as a busi...
Hip Hop History with Ralph McDaniels of Video Music Box | Fashion Culture
01 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“We wanna be fabulous. We wanna be fly. We wanna be fresh!” declares Ralph McDaniels. For #BlackHistoryMonth we’re excited to share this convers...
Simon Porte Jacquemus | Fashion Culture
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Porte Jacquemus, who was born in the South of France and is now based in Paris, established his eponymous brand in 2009 with no formal training,...
Alexander McQueen: Unseen | Fashion Culture
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“I think there's something quite magical about when you're backstage. And it's not quite seeing behind the magician's curtain, it's more like you ...
Are We Latinx? Constructs of Inclusivity | Fashion Culture
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation between designer Willy Chavarria, professor Aída Hurtado and MFIT’s education curator Tanya Meléndez-Escalante they discuss t...
Africa's Fashion Diaspora | Fashion Culture
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Museum at FIT's Associate Curator of Costume Elizabeth Way sits down with Digital Media Manager Tamsen Young to discuss Africa’s Fashion Diaspor...
Spectacle: Runway Fashion on Parade | Fashion Culture
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“‘Cat Walks’ as they became known were transformed into eye-popping theatrical productions to showcase equally dramatic and one-of-a-kind garmen...
Anna Sui: Fashion Design and Interior Decoration | Fashion Culture
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to creativity, fashion designer Anna Sui explains, “I’m like a magpie. If I see something shiny or something that attracts me, I hav...
Undressing Fashion Conservation | Statement Sleeves
01 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Before fashion objects can be exhibited, they are first examined by a textile conservator. If the condition of the object is too poor to be mounted or...
Rodney Smith: A Leap of Faith | Fashion Culture
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Paul Martineau, curator of photographs at the J. Paul Getty Museum, and author of the new book "Rodney Smith: A Leap of Faith," joins David Campany, I...
SHOWStudio's Nick Knight in conversation with Amy de la Haye about his rose photography | Fashion Culture
01 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nick Knight and Amy de la Haye engage in a conversation about his photographs of roses for The Museum at FIT's 24th academic symposium Ravishing: The ...
Stylist Misa Hylton in Conversation with FIT's Elena Romero | Fashion Culture
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Leading celebrity stylist Misa Hylton joined FIT professor Elena Romero in conversation on November 17, 2022. Hylton is acclaimed for creating iconic ...
Stella Jean in Conversation with Dr. Valerie Steele | Fashion Culture
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In February of 2021, Stella Jean, the Italian-Haitian fashion designer, joined Dr. Valerie Steele, director of MFIT, for a discussion on expanding div...
Nicole Miller in conversation with Valerie Steele | Fashion Culture
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
New York-based fashion designer, Nicole Miller joined Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT, in conversation to discuss ...
Radio Cherry Bombe: A conversation about Food & Fashion with Kerry Diamond
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In a special collaboration with Radio Cherry Bombe, host Kerry Diamond interviews Melissa Marra-Alvarez and Elizabeth Way, curators of The Museum at ...
Curating ”¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion Design Today” | Fashion Culture
01 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Co-curators of ¡Moda Hoy! Latin American and Latinx Fashion– Tanya Meléndez-Escalante and Melissa Marra-Alvarez – discuss their curatorial proce...
Gabriela Hearst in conversation with Valerie Steele | Fashion Culture
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded in 2021, Uruguayan-born fashion designer Gabriela Hearst takes a stroll down memory lane with Dr. Valerie Steele as they discuss how growing ...
Fashion is Spinach: The Life and Work of Elizabeth Hawes | Fashion Culture
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth Hawes is known for her timeless fashion designs and her written critique of the fashion system, such as in her 1940 book Fashion is Spinach...
Fran Lebowitz in conversation with Valerie Steele | Fashion Culture
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2013, The Museum at FIT hosted its A Queer History of Fashion symposium in conjunction with the exhibition of the same name. The cultural commentat...
What Becomes a Legend Most: A Biography of Richard Avedon | Fashion Culture
01 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Philip Gefter’s book What Becomes a Legend Most: A Biography of Richard Avedon is a study of the legendary photographer’s life. A fashion photogra...
Zandra Rhodes: 50 Fabulous Years in Fashion | Fashion Culture
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In 2019, Zandra Rhodes and Fern Mallis discussed "Zandra Rhodes: 50 Fabulous Years in Fashion," a book that celebrates Rhodes' 50-year career in fash...
Fashion Metropolis Berlin | Fashion Culture
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Berlin was a fashion capital in the 1920s, with hundreds of thriving clothing manufacturers, most of them Jewish, before it was destroyed by the Nazi...
Lauren Fay in Conversation with Ronald van der Kemp | Fashion Culture
01 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Couture designer Ronald van der Kemp and The New Fashion Initiative founder Lauren B. Fay discuss van der Kemp's career and his devotion to craftsmans...
Jeffrey Gibson and Korina Emmerich in Conversation | Fashion Culture
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On November 5, 2022, Regan de Loggans (Mississippi Choctaw) moderated a conversation with Jeffrey Gibson and Korina Emmerich. Each discussed their exp...
Fashion and Political Power with Robin Givhan | Fashion Culture
14 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Robin Givhan, in conversation with Dr. Valerie Steele, discuss the current relationship between fashion, politics,...
Prabal Gurung in conversation with Valerie Steele | Fashion Culture
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On September 15, 2020, Fashion designer Prabal Gurung and MFIT Director Valerie Steele discussed the designer's innovative and international career. W...
Technology and the Future of Fashion | Fashion Culture
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On October 16, 2019, model Veronica Webb and Rory Tahari, the CEO and founder of State of Mind Partners, discussed the future of fashion and the impac...
Mexican Rose | Fashion Culture
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For The Museum at FIT's Pink Symposium, Tanya Melendez-Escalante, MFIT senior curator of education and public program, explored the history of the col...
Person Place Thing | Fashion Culture
31 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Randy Cohen, creator of the public radio program Person Place Thing, says his guests are at their most engaging when they talk about whatever they fin...
Stephen Jones in conversation with Colleen Hill | Fashion Culture
03 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Jones is a milliner whose exquisitely crafted, quixotic hats attract a celebrity clientele that includes Rihanna, Mick Jagger, and Dita Von Te...
Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco Q&A | Fashion Culture
01 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco is an electrifying documentary that follows fashion illustrator (and FIT alumnus) Antonio Lopez from New Y...
Straight/Curve Film Discussion | Fashion Culture
01 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The documentary Straight/Curve offers an unflinching look into the body image crisis in the world of modeling. Listen as director Jenny McQuaile and...
Frida Kahlo: Fashion as the Art of Being | Fashion Culture
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Susana Martinez Vidal, author of Frida Kahlo: Fashion as the Art of Being, presents the 20 fashion lessons she learned from Frida Kahlo. Watch the fu...
From Sylph to Swan: The Tutu and Fashion | Fashion Culture
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Patricia Mears, deputy director of The Museum at FIT, explores the history of the tutu in ballet and fashion at The Museum at FIT's 14th annual fashio...
Ballet Shoes: Function, Fashion, and Fetish | Fashion Culture
01 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Colleen Hill, curator of costume and accessories at The Museum at FIT, discusses the romance and femininity but also discipline and pain of ballet sho...
A Conversation with Liya Kebede | Fashion Culture
14 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Accomplished supermodel and designer Liya Kebede joins MFIT Assistant Curator of Costume Elizabeth Way to talk about lemlem, Kebede’s collection...
Careers in Fashion Media | Fashion Culture
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth Way, in conversation with Teri Agins, Dario Calmese, and Constance White discusses the evolving field of fashion journalism at The Museum at...
50 Years of The Museum at FIT | Fashion Culture
17 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Valerie Steele and Colleen Hill reflect on past exhibitions at The Museum at FIT in celebration of its 50th anniversary. This talk was originally ...
Scholarship and Curation | Fashion Culture
02 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Museum at FIT presented Exhibiting Fashion, its twenty-first academic symposium on Friday, March 8, 2019. This symposium explored the history of...
Fashion, Art, and Luxury in Paris | Fashion Culture
18 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with the exhibition Paris, Capital of Fashion, The Museum at FIT is publishing Paris related content to its Fashion Culture podcast. E...
Cult of the Designer | Fashion Culture
11 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with the exhibition Paris, Capital of Fashion, The Museum at FIT is publishing Paris related content to its Fashion Culture podcast. E...
New York vs Paris | Fashion Culture
04 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with the exhibition Paris, Capital of Fashion, The Museum at FIT is publishing Paris related content to its Fashion Culture podcast. E...
Birth of the Haute Couture | Fashion Culture
28 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with the exhibition Paris, Capital of Fashion, The Museum at FIT is publishing Paris related content to its Fashion Culture podcast. E...
From the Splendor of the Royal Court to the Spectacle of the Haute Couture | Fashion Culture
21 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with the exhibition Paris, Capital of Fashion, The Museum at FIT is publishing Paris related content to its Fashion Culture podcast. E...
The Battle of Versailles | Fashion Culture
14 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Givhan, Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion critic for the Washington Post, presents her first book, The Battle of Versailles. Givhan, in conversati...
On Patrick Kelly: Dr. Monica Miller and Eric Darnell Pritchard | Fashion Culture
03 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Monica Miller and Eric Darnell Pritchard, in conversation about Patrick Kelly at The Museum at FIT's annual fashion symposium, Black Fashion Desig...
Christian Louboutin in conversation with Dr. Valerie Steele
17 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Wednesday, September 4, 2019, the Couture Council of The Museum at FIT honored iconic footwear designer Christian Louboutin with its 2019 Couture...
Paris Fashion: A Cultural History | Fashion Culture
04 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On October 17, 2017, Dr. Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at FIT, presented an in-depth look at the new edition of her book, Paris Fashion: A Cu...
Modest Body Politics | Fashion Culture
20 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Reina Lewis presents “Modest Body Politics: Faith, Fashion, and Ethnicity” at The Museum at FIT's 19th fashion symposium, Fashion and Physique, h...
Fashion from the Extreme | Fashion Culture
18 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Patricia Mears, deputy director of The Museum at FIT, presents "Fashion from the Extreme: The Poles, Highest Peaks, and Beyond" at The Museum at FIT's...
A Queer History of Fashion | Fashion Culture
25 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT, presents "A Queer History of Fashion" at The Museum at FIT's 13th fashion symposi...
New Directions in Menswear | Fashion Culture
06 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On March 16, 2017, Alexander Joseph, editor of FIT’s Hue magazine, moderated a lively conversation about the diverse future of menswear with four de...
The Explorer’s Club: A Brief History | Fashion Culture
16 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Lacey Flint presents at the eighteenth academic symposium, Fashion, Science, and Exploration on October 10, 2017. The daylong event explored the impa...
Black Fashion Models | Fashion Culture
07 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with The Museum at FIT's past exhibition Black Fashion Designers, Robin Givhan sat down with fashion models Bethann Hardison, Riley Mo...
One Dress, Multiple Stories | Fashion Culture
17 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Bethan Bide presents “One Dress, Multiple Stories: Exploring Everyday Fashion Objects as Sites for Narrating Speculative Biographies” at The...
Panavision in Pink | Fashion Culture
28 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As in Carrie, Fight Club, and Mean Girls, pink provides plot twists for the unwary. For Lisa in Coming to America and Elle in Legally Blonde, pink exp...
50 Years of The Museum at FIT: Part Two
18 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Emma McClendon, associate curator of costume of The Museum at FIT, Elizabeth Way, assistant curator of costume, and Melissa Marra, associate curator o...
50 Years of The Museum at FIT: Part One
27 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT chats with Patricia Mears, deputy director, and Colleen Hill, curator of costume and a...
Black Fashion Designers | Fashion Culture
14 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with The Museum at FIT's past exhibition Black Fashion Designers, André Leon Talley sat down with fashion designers Mimi Plange and T...
Misty Copeland, Life in Motion | Fashion Culture
23 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Misty Copeland in conversation with Valerie Steele at The Museum at FIT on Tuesday, November 4, 2014. Misty Copeland is a soloist with American Ballet...
Christian Siriano and Becca McCharen-Tran on Designing with Inclusivity in Mind | Fashion Culture
18 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Christian Siriano and Becca McCharen-Tran in conversation with Kim Jenkins at The Museum at FIT's 19th fashion symposium, Fashion and Physique, held o...
Tracy Reese on Designing for the Modern Woman | Fashion Culture
19 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Tracy Reese and MFIT assistant curator Elizabeth Way engage in a lively discussion about Reese's career as a designer and creating colorful, feminine ...
Fashion in the Social Media Era | Fashion Culture
26 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday, November 16, 2016, Eva Chen, head of fashion partnerships at Instagram along with Becca McCharen-Tran of Chromat and Tanya Taylor, discuss...
The History of Pink | Fashion Culture
19 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On September 13, 2018, Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator at The Museum at FIT, discussed her exhibition and book Pink: The History of a P...
Norell: Master of American Fashion | Fashion Culture
23 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On February 14, Jeffrey Banks, co-author of Norell: Master of American Fashion, Ellin Saltzman, former fashion director and senior vice president at f...
The Influence of the Countess Greffulhe on Contemporary Fashion | Fashion Culture
16 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Lucy Norris at The Museum at FIT's 16th fashion symposium, Proust’s Muse, held on Thursday, October 20, 2016. Researchers from the United States an...
The Influence of Hip-Hop on Fashion | Fashion Culture
20 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Elena Romero in conversation with Dapper Dan and Jeriana San Juan at The Museum at FIT's 17th fashion symposium, Black Fashion Designers, held on Mond...
Norma Kamali Through The Years | Fashion Culture
13 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Norma Kamali in conversation with Patricia Mears at The Museum at FIT's 18th fashion symposium, Fashion, Science, and Exploration, held on Tuesday, Oc...
Uniformity | Fashion Culture
27 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On November 9, 2016, Thom Browne, one of America’s most admired fashion designers, and Stefano Tonchi, editor in chief of W, discussed the social ro...
Fashioning Today’s Woman with Tim Gunn | Fashion Culture
09 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Gunn in conversation with Dr. Valerie Steele at The Museum at FIT's 19th fashion symposium, Fashion and Physique, held on Friday, February 23, 201...