Paris, Capital of Fashion: Book Talk with Dr. Valerie Steele of the FIT

About the Event

This event is part of our France Forever series

This event is reserved for adults aged 21+ and over

This event will be in English.

Join the Alliance Française of Washington, DC for an evening with renowned fashion historian, curator, and author Dr. Valerie Steele as she discusses the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of fashion in the iconic city of Paris. Whether you are passionate about fashion, art, design, history, or culture, this special evening offers a fascinating look at the ideas that continue to shape the way we dress and express ourselves.

About the Book

Paris, Capital of Fashion accompanies a major exhibition at The Museum at FIT, New York's only museum dedicated solely to the art of fashion. This lavishly-illustrated book is edited by MFIT's director and chief curator, Valerie Steele, also the author of the acclaimed Paris Fashion: A Cultural History. This new book opens with an important essay on how and why Paris became famous as the international “capital of fashion.”

About the Author

Widely recognized as one of the world's leading authorities on fashion, Dr. Valerie Steele is the Director and Chief Curator of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York. Since 1997, she has curated more than 25 groundbreaking exhibitions, including "Paris, Capital of Fashion" "The Corset: Fashioning the Body," and "A Queer History of Fashion." Steele is the author or editor of more than 30 influential books and the founder and editor-in-chief of "Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture," the first scholarly journal dedicated to fashion studies. A Yale University Ph.D., her work has helped shape the modern academic field of fashion studies. Recognized by "The Business of Fashion" 500 as one of the people shaping the global fashion industry, Steele has also been described by fashion critic Suzy Menkes as "The Freud of Fashion."

Following the conversation, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A with the author and purchase books onsite.

Image credits: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for FIT

For all inquiries concerning this event: Please email culture@francedc.org