The Museum at FIT Fashion Culture Podcast

Robin Givhan on Virgil Abloh with Dr. Elizabeth Way | Fashion Culture

Robin Givhan, the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, presents her new book, Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh. Appointed as head of menswear for Louis Vuitton in 2018, Abloh was the first Black designer to serve as artistic director in the brand's 164-year history and his rise was amid a cultural moment that would upend a century's worth of ideas about luxury and taste. In this conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Way, The Museum at FIT's associate curator of costume and accessories, Givhan discusses Abloh’s disruptive impact on the fashion industry, his controversial design methods, and his legacy as a figure of optimism. She notes that in the current cultural climate, choosing optimism is a "radical" act, and Abloh did so not out of naivety, but as the only way to move forward.

Robin Givhan spent more than 25 years writing about politics, race, and the arts at The Washington Post as a fashion critic and most recently, senior critic-at-large. 

This talk was recorded August 26, 2025.

Transcript (pdf)

The Museum at FIT (MFIT) is the only museum dedicated exclusively to the art of fashion in New York City. https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum

Africa's Fashion Diaspora | Fashion Culture

The Museum at FIT's Associate Curator of Costume Elizabeth Way sits down with Digital Media Manager Tamsen Young to discuss Africa’s Fashion Diaspora. From past exhibitions to featured designers and objects, Way shares her inspiration and process for curating the exhibition. Together, they delve into the central themes of Africa’s Fashion Diaspora and introduce listeners to the exhibition’s world of diasporic crossings. 

Africa’s Fashion Diaspora is on view from September 18 - December 29, 2024. 

Transcript (pdf)

The Museum at FIT (MFIT) is the only museum dedicated exclusively to the art of fashion in New York City. https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum

Image: Mme. Willie Posey, two-piece rayon set in zebra and leopard print, c. 1970, USA, museum purchase

 

Radio Cherry Bombe: A conversation about Food & Fashion with Kerry Diamond

In a special collaboration with Radio Cherry Bombe, host Kerry Diamond interviews Melissa Marra-Alvarez and Elizabeth Way, curators of The Museum at FIT exhibition Food & Fashion. Together, they discuss Elsa Schiaparelli’s lobster dress, Rachel Antonoff’s pasta puffer, this summer’s grocery girl trend, and more. This episode first launched on Radio Cherry Bombe’s podcast on September 18, 2023.

View transcript (PDF) | Learn more about Radio Cherry Bombe
The Museum at FIT (MFIT) is the only museum dedicated exclusively to the art of fashion in New York City. https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum

 

Intro music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):  https://uppbeat.io/t/corinne/ecstatic

License code: 5UKIMK33CBRHVVEZ

A Conversation with Liya Kebede | Fashion Culture

Accomplished supermodel and designer Liya Kebede joins MFIT Assistant Curator of Costume Elizabeth Way to talk about lemlem, Kebede’s collection of women’s, men’s, children’s clothing, and home goods made entirely in Africa. The core collection is handwoven from natural cotton sourced in Kebede’s native Ethiopia. Women artisans are at the heart of lemlem, and the brand is committed to helping them find health care, education, and jobs through the lemlem Foundation.

Watch the full video with captions on YouTube.

The Museum at FIT (MFIT) is the only museum dedicated exclusively to the art of fashion in New York City. https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum

Careers in Fashion Media | Fashion Culture

Elizabeth Way, in conversation with Teri Agins, Dario Calmese, and Constance White discusses the evolving field of fashion journalism at The Museum at FIT's Black Fashion Designers symposium held on Monday, February 6, 2017. The one-day symposium featured talks by designers, models, journalists, and scholars on African diasporic culture and fashion.

Watch the full video with captions on YouTube.

The Museum at FIT (MFIT) is the only museum dedicated exclusively to the art of fashion in New York City. https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum

50 Years of The Museum at FIT: Part Two

Emma McClendon, associate curator of costume of The Museum at FIT, Elizabeth Way, assistant curator of costume, and Melissa Marra, associate curator of education, continue the discussion on the history of the museum and the exhibitions highlighted in Exhibitionism: 50 Years of The Museum at FIT.

View Transcript.

The Museum at FIT (MFIT) is the only museum dedicated exclusively to the art of fashion in New York City. https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum