Calendar of Events
Fashion Culture | Symposium | Talk & Tour | Lunchtime Workshops | Past Events
Fashion Culture
Fashion Culture programs are organized by
The Museum at FIT to provide new perspectives on the culture of fashion.
Admission
All programs are free unless otherwise indicated. However, reservations are strongly encouraged, as space is limited. The Museum at FIT and the college reserve the right to cancel a program at any time.
Program Venues
The Katie Murphy Amphitheatre is in the Fred P. Pomerantz Art and Design Center on
the northwest corner of Seventh Avenue and 27th Street.
Other venues can be found on FIT's Campus Map.
Fashion Culture
The King of Japanese Kawaii
Yuniya Kawamura and Sebastian Masuda
Thursday, October 1, 5:30 pm
FIT Professor Yuniya Kawamura will be in conversation with fashion and art creator Sebastian Masuda, internationally recognized as the leading figure in Japan’s kawaii (cute) subculture. Masuda understands kawaii not merely as an aesthetic, but as an explicit, nonviolent mode of rebellion and resistance—one comparable to other Japanese youth subcultures that assert identity through unconventional forms of dress and self-presentation.
A book signing follows the event.
Image: Cover of Portrait of Sebastian Masuda by GION. Courtesy of Sebastian Masuda.
Farm to Fashion: Designing with Locally Sourced Materials
Melissa Ventosa Martin, Mimi Prober, and Karuna Scheinfeld in conversation with Susan
Easton
Thursday, October 8, 5:30 pm
How is local production shaping design, material development, and new possibilities for regional fashion and textile production? Designers Mimi Prober, Melissa Ventosa Martin, founder of Old Stone Trade, and Karuna Scheinfeld, co-founder of Four Objects — along with New York Fashion Innovation Center product and marketing director Susan Easton — will discuss what it means to design with New York-sourced materials. This event is organized in collaboration with the FIT Sustainability Council for FIT’s Sustainability Awareness Week
Image: Mimi Prober, produced by People’s Revolution for NYFW: The Shows. Photo: Randy Brooke.
Future Forward: The Influence of Vintage
Dr. Colleen Hill and Lilah Ramzi
Thursday, October 15, 5:30 pm
Vogue editor, fashion historian, and vintage enthusiast Lilah Ramzi joins MFIT senior curator of costume, Dr. Colleen Hill, for a conversation on the ever-growing influence of vintage fashion. Presented in collaboration with the team behind Manhattan Vintage, the conversation will explore how the pursuit of the rare and extraordinary has shaped both their work and their personal style. Organized in collaboration with Manhattan Vintage.
Image: Maison Martin Margiela, “Doll” cardigan, fall 1994. Museum purchase, 2025.30.1
Suitable: The Sartorial Revolution and the Fashioning of Modern Men
Dr. Chloe Chapin
Monday, November 2, 5:30 pm
Two hundred and fifty years after the American Revolution, historian and costume designer Dr. Chloe Chapin traces the evolution of modern men’s suits to answer big questions about fashion. When men adopted plain, dark, uniform suits to symbolize rationality and modernity, they simultaneously cast “fashion” as a superficial, feminine pursuit. Suitable unpacks this hidden history to explore fundamental ideas about style, identity, and the architecture of power.
A book signing will follow.
Image: Cover of Suitable courtesy of Oxford University Press
Symposium
Doll Dressing Symposium
Friday, November 13, 10 am–5 pm
The Museum at FIT’s 36th symposium is planned in conjunction with the exhibition Doll Dressing. Extending well beyond the realm of childhood play, fashion dolls have not merely worn the latest trends, but set them. Doll-inspired looks communicate personal style, fantasy, and identity. Speakers include designer Jasmin Larian Hekmat of Cult Gaia, Masafumi Monden from the University of Sydney, curator and author Patricia Mears, Christophe Koné from Williams College, and others.
Symposium schedule and speaker bios
Image: Undercover (Jun Takahasi), printed wool dress, fall 2003, gift of Patricia Pastor, 2023.23.5
Lunchtime Workshops
Felt Doll-Making Workshop with Wanett Clyde
Wanett Clyde
Wednesday, September 30, 12:30–2:30 pm SOLD OUT
Join dollmaker Wanett Clyde, who will lead you through the process of creating a hand-sewn felt doll, from stitching and stuffing to creating quick clothing and accessories. Attendees will leave with the foundational skills needed to create felt dolls. Some experience with hand sewing is ideal, but beginners are welcome. All materials will be provided.
Image Courtesy of Wanett Clyde.
Paper Doll-Making Workshop
Eloise Corr Danch
Thursday, November 19, 12:30–3:30 pm SOLD OUT
Step into a world of imagination inspired by the Doll Dressing exhibition and the work of visual artist Eloise Corr Danch. In this workshop, participants will learn how to construct their own paper dolls. No prior experience is necessary—just curiosity and a willingness to play with paper. All materials will be provided.
Image: Image Courtesy of Eloise Corr Danch.
Talk & Tours
Check-in for Talk and Tours in the lobby of The Museum at FIT
Doll Dressing Talk and Tour
Wednesday, September 23, 11 am
Monday, October 19, 5:30 pm
Doll Dressing centers on the longstanding connections between dolls and high fashion. Curated by Dr. Colleen Hill, senior curator of costume, the exhibition explores how dolls have influenced fashion and dressed appearance. The exhibition features designs from Marc Jacobs, Patrick Kelly, Lanvin, Jeremy Scott for Moschino, Martin Margiela, Anna Sui, and many others. On the September 23 tour, soprano Brandie Inez Sutton and pianist Joshua Mhoon will perform a mini-recital that explores the relationship between dolls, fashion, popular culture, and play. Organized in collaboration with the New York Philharmonic.
Image: Moschino Couture (Jeremy Scott), trompe l'oeil printed jacket and skirt, spring 2017, museum purchases, 2028.9.1-2.
Visit Doll Dressing with a Museum Conservator Talk and Tours
Wednesday, October 28, 11 am
Monday, November 23, 5:30 pm
Explore Doll Dressing through a conservator’s lens, showcasing how the objects in this exhibition were prepared for display in accordance with conservation ethics. Thought and expertise go into evaluating how the objects can be safely displayed, while still achieving the curator’s creative vision. Museum conservators will discuss all the steps required before an exhibition can come together, including the execution of necessary treatments to improve an object’s condition.
Image: Preparing to treat a gown before exhibition.
The public is always welcome at The Museum at FIT and our programming is always free.
If you are able, please consider supporting the Museum's collection and programming by making a donation in any amount.
Your support helps the Museum continue to educate and inspire diverse audiences with world-class exhibitions and public programs that focus on diverse and inclusive themes and are free to the public.
Fashion Culture Spring 2026 is made possible with the support of the Couture Council of The Museum at FIT. Support for programming was provided by the Boris Lurie Art Foundation.
