Food & Fashion @ F.I.T.

The Museum at F.I.T. is, in my opinion, highly underrated! And yes, exclamation point intended. Though their exhibitions are considerably smaller than the MET’s, and their space far less grand, they rotate new exhibitions in and out way more frequently. It feels like every time I walk by F.I.T.’s windows, en route home from the Garment District, I see a sign for a new installation. With a consitent rotation of entertaining themes, in which the curation is always impeccable, Chelsea’s local museum is truly a neighborhood treat. In September I walked into an exquisite exhibition in honor of Latin American Heritage month and I was so impressed I looked up what curators were behind such a beautifully merchandised assortment. This month’s Museum at F.I.T exhibit is no different, except that co-curators Melissa Marra-Alvarez and Elizabeth Way did leave out one incredible piece that truly highlights “fashion & food” at its best: the below pictured tomato-print ski set (base layers) I designed for my boyfriend (who, to be completely honest, is actually the visionary behind this amazing “Italian Stallion on Ice” confection):

But that’s enough about my (equally underrated) design prowess, let’s get back to the main event: The Museum at F.I.T.’s Food & Fashion exhibition, running now through November 26th. Featuring works from well-known fashion foodies like Jeremy Scott to more niche designers like Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada, the showcase will take you through a playful and nostalgic trip down memory lane. A standout piece was the exact McDonald’s uniform my mother wore at her high school job in 1980, which was originally designed in 1975 by CFDA President Stan Herman. Look how iconic the original uniform was with it’s attention to silhouette and detail! Between us, McDonald’s is doing their current employees beyond dirty with those blasé polos when they could be wearing fitted and sassy sets (complete with contrast fabric and snaps!). Honestly, with the state of the post-covid world and retail and hospitality employers having the most difficult time finding employees, why hasn’t anyone thought to inject some style into their uniforms and make working in the service industry chic again? I feel this is a task for Sue Ellen Crandell, but since she’s a fictional character, I will step up to the task. Fast-Food Owners and Retailers of the world, I’m here and ready to turn this all around for you! Hit me up.

I highly encourage that if you’re in NYC before the exhibit closes, you check it out in person, as the details are always way more fun to see up close. But, for those of you non-locals, I took some photos of my favorite looks to share with you in the gallery below.