Museum at FIT

06/02/2026

Congratulations to fashion designer Josh Tafoya on receiving the Cooper Hewitt's 2026 Design Award for fashion design! 🎉

Josh Tafoya left the New York fashion industry for his hometown of Taos, New Mexico during the pandemic. He turned to weaving as a creative and meditative practice, tapping into his family’s longstanding talent and knowledge. His work is rooted in the Rio Grande weaving tradition of the American Southwest, and he is now a noted textile artist. Tafoya’s handwoven, multi-panel coat mingles textile art – long accepted as museum-worthy – with fashion, while exploring his Spanish, Chicano, and Indigenous Genízaro heritage.

Josh's cross-cultural work captivated visitors in our recent “Art X Fashion” exhibition, and this recognition is so well deserved. We're proud to have showcased his vision and can't wait to see what he creates next.

Wishing you continued success, Josh! ✨
https://www.cooperhewitt.org/national-design-awards/2026-national-design-award-winners/

06/02/2026

As European luxury brands expand their U.S. presence through high-profile events, Valerie Steele notes this fierce competition ultimately benefits the entire industry. The Museum at FIT director suggests these spectacles serve to rejuvenate fashion interest across the board. Read more at FashionUnited.ca

Europe’s most prestigious fashion houses are increasingly staging spectacular catwalk shows in the United States, a market that is both a priority and a trendsetter.

06/01/2026

🎙️ Say hello to Lifestyles, The Museum at FIT's summer podcast series! We're sitting down with six people whose style is anything but conventional.
First up, digital media manager Tamsen Young chats with artist and maker Debra Rapoport, who brings a playful exploration of beauty and ingenuity to both her fashion and her life. Her philosophy says it all:

"My philosophy is, where there's creativity, there are no rules. Where there are no rules, there is no fear."

We couldn't agree more, Debra. ✨

New episodes drop twice a month — so hit follow and don't miss a thing. 🎧 Stream now on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Spotify. 👉 https://museumatfit.podbean.com/

05/31/2026

Happy Birthday Stephen Jones! 🎩✨
Born , the renowned and beloved milliner opened his first hat salon in 1980 in the basement of the store PX, the flagship store in London for New Romantic styles. Featured in the Culture Club video, “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?,” wearing a fez and a vintage zoot suit, Jones has said, “In a way, my life was more influenced by club life than fashion design.” Jones continues to attract a celebrity clientele that includes Rihanna, Dita von Teese, Mick Jagger, and Lady Gaga.

[Image: Stephen Jones (b. 1957), hat, polyester and ribbon, 1980, England, gift of Alan Rosenberg]

05/29/2026

"What are you wearing today?” This summer, The Museum at FIT is launching an original short podcast series called Lifestyles. MFIT digital media manager Tamsen Young interviews six people whose distinct expression of style is outside conventional fashion trends. New episodes drop twice a month, starting June 1st. Stay tuned! https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/news/2026/lifestyles.php

🎧Stream the Fashion Culture Podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Spotify.

05/29/2026

"What are you wearing today?" This summer, The Museum at FIT is launching an original short podcast series called Lifestyles. MFIT digital media manager Tamsen Young interviews six people whose distinct expression of style is outside conventional fashion trends. New episodes drop twice a month, starting June 1st. Stay tuned!
https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/news/2026/lifestyles.php

🎧 Stream the Fashion Culture Podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Spotify. https://museumatfit.podbean.com/

05/28/2026

Let Me Ask You a Question // This we’re returning to a conversation Dr. Valerie Steele had with Montreal-born, London-based fashion designer Erdem Moralıoğlu in October 2017. Steele and Moralıoğlu explore a subject near and dear to both of their hearts: vulgarity.

https://www.surfacemag.com/articles/naughty-nature-valerie-steele-erdem-moralioglu-vulgarity/

05/28/2026

WE LOVE DOLLS!
Call for contributors! A crowd-sourced project.

Are you a fashion doll collector, creator, or admirer? Is there a doll from your childhood that you keep for its nostalgic value? Share your story with us for “Doll Dressing,” our fall 2026 exhibition that explores the history of fashion dolls and the influence of dolls on high fashion. You might be included in a digital component of our exhibition!

This project is ongoing through the run of the exhibition (September 16, 2026 – January 4, 2027), but only responses received by July 1, 2026 will be considered for inclusion in the gallery.

Read about the submission guidelines, see an example, and submit your own dolls!
https://ow.ly/qvIy50Z2U3W

05/27/2026

The Museum at FIT galleries are closed for the summer as we prepare for our fall exhibition “Doll Dressing,” opening September 16, 2026.
https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/

05/26/2026

Tim Gunn and Valerie Steele discuss the “shell game” of vanity sizing at MFIT's 2018 Fashion and Physique symposium.

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

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

https://museumatfit.podbean.com/e/fashion-and-physique-tim-gunn-in-conversation-with-dr-valerie-steele/