Red, White, & Chic

Embark on a unique fashion tour through a treasure trove of American-made haute couture and ready-to-wear pieces, as the Houston Seminar revisits the collection of the Houston Community College Fashion
Archives. Subscribers will get an in-depth look at some of the iconicdesigns by legendary American designers, such as Bill Blass, Geoffrey Beene, Bob Mackie, Kate Spade, Halston, and Adele Simpson, and will have the opportunity to closely examine the garments, learning about the designers’ influences, techniques, and the cultural significance of their work. The collection includes rare pieces, from classic dresses to statement-making ensembles, each representing a pivotal moment in the history of American fashion. This immersive tour offers more than just a view of historical clothing—it is an exploration of the craftsmanship, creativity, and vision that helped define American style over the decades.

Led by fashion archive ambassador and fashion department professor Alexander Chapman and librarian/archivist Denise Hulett, we will tour the physical collection and learn about how these examples of historical and contemporary clothing and accessories illustrate important trends in the past 280 years of fashion history.