A Brush with Fashion

I started my new year with a fresh research residency at The New York Public Library, which I’m using to fact-check some material and round out the research on some mostly-finished chapters.

Today on my way to the research center orientation I got off the subway at Grand Central and stopped at the MTA Museum to see this train setup:

I exited Grand Central on Lexington. Unexpectedly, I found myself looking across the street at a fashion exhibition!

“Art History 101: A Brush With Fashion” was the work of BFA students at SVA, who designed garments – many not wearable, it appeared – inspired by art movements. They were set up in the windows of an empty commercial space. While I was trying to take decent pictures through the smudgy windows, a young woman directed me to more of them further along the block. “It’s really inspiring,” she said. “I’m trying to get into fashion too.” We had a brief conversation, and it turned out she had moved to NYC from Texas six months ago, and she didn’t really know where to begin. She said she could sew and had some other skills, but she knew it was complicated. I said, “I’m a teacher, and I always recommend to people to start with what they’re good at and build that muscle memory for confidence and success.” “Yes, Ma’am,” she said. I said, “You didn’t ask me for advice,” and laughed, and she grinned and said, “It’s okay, I’m going to take that to heart.” Then she asked if she could hug me, and I said, “Of course.” It was so sweet!

Here are some of my terrible photos of the wonderful exhibition:

I haven’t found a website for the current version, but here’s a webpage for the 2023 exhibition:

https://madisonavenuebid.org/store-happening/sva-art-history-101-a-brush-with-fashion/

Then I went to the library and got my new shelf in the research rooms. What a great start to my work day at the library! Model trains, a new exhibition I didn’t know was there, a charming exchange with a lovely stranger, and lots of juicy whore research.

I’ll be sharing parts of my research journals here this month. I’m having a blast. I love New York.