Podcast Episodes

Cashmere with a "K": The Controversial History of a Shawl

Cultural appropriation and colonialism lie at the heart of the 19th century fashion trend for "cashmere" shawls, the anglicized version of the Kashmi…

7 years, 10 months ago

Elsa Schiaparelli

Elsa Schiaparelli is one of the most unique voices fashion has ever seen. Her penchant for daring designs was often inspired by her close friendships…

7 years, 11 months ago

Murderous Millinery

From the 1870s to the 1920s, millions of women embraced the fashion for ornamental plumage and as a result millions of birds died for it.

Learn more a…

7 years, 11 months ago

Rose Bertin, Fashion and the Reign of Marie Antoinette: an Interview with Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell

If Marie Antoinette was the Queen of Fashion, Rose Bertin was her "Minister of Fashion." Find out more about Bertin and the extravagances of eighteen…

7 years, 11 months ago

The King of Fashion: Paul Poiret

The work of avant-garde couturier Paul Poiret was shocking to some, and undeniably groundbreaking to everyone else. The fact that he radically altere…

7 years, 11 months ago

Elizabeth Keckly: “Thirty Years a Slave” to White House Dressmaker

This week we explore the incredible story of Elizabeth Keckly, an enslaved woman who bought her freedom and went on to become the premiere dressmaker…

8 years ago

Smuggled in the Bustle: an interview with Hind Abdul-Jabbar

In this episode we speak to Hind Abdul-Jabbar about the widespread practice of smuggling European fashion into the United States during the 19th cent…

8 years ago

Elizabeth Hawes: Fashion Rebel

An iconoclast in every sense of the word, Elizabeth Hawes is still considered one of the greatest designers American fashion ever produced. Find out …

8 years ago

The Body: Fashion & Physique, an interview with Emma McClendon

This episode explores how the body type considered ideal shifts over time, and we speak with fashion historian Emma McClendon about her current exhib…

8 years ago

Branded: A History of Designer Logos

Logos and monograms are used by luxury fashion houses to brand their products. This episode investigates the origin stories of the logos used by of …

8 years ago