FASHION CELEBRATED in FIT's New Lecture Series (c) By Polly Gueirn

The world of Fashion and Culture at The Museum at FIT (MFIT), the only museum in New York City dedicated solely to the art of fashion,opens another stunning exhibition and a selection of world-class lectures that kick off this month. Here's the scoop!!!
YVES SAINT LAURENT + HALSTON: Fashioning the 70's is worth a visit to indulge in the luxury of fluid silk printed gowns and pantsuits, in the Museum at FIT, Special Exhibition Gallery, February 6 to April 18, 2015.Admission is always Free. Check the hours on the museum information hot line: 212.217.4558. At the same time see FAKING IT: Originals, Copies and Counterfeits in the Fashion and Textile Gallery.
From a schedule of 8 Fashion Lectures, here are some of my favorites, the last one on April 1st. All lectures

are held in the Katie Murphy Amphitheater and start at 6 pm. Advance reservations are required. Email museuminfo@fitnyc or call 212.217.4585.
MADEMOISELLE: Coco Chanel and the Pulse of History, Thursday February 19 features author, Rhoda K. Garelick's seminal biography of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. Yes, dear reader, one can never get enough of Chanel and Garelick paints a portrait of one of the greatest designers of the 20th century, presenting Chanel as a woman of daring and a designer who branded a century and remade the world in he own image.A book signing follows the presentation.
FILM SCREENING: Passage #5: Christian Dior, Spring/Summer 2011. A rare opportunity with nostalgic charm. Dr. Alexandra Palmer will introduce the documentary film Passage #5, on Tuesday, February 24. The film chronicles the creation of a sensational Christian Dior gown, commissioned along with the film, for the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada.
VINTAGE BLACK GLAMOR: Join fashion, lifestyle, and arts journalist Nichelle Gainer for a presentation of her new book, Vintage Black Glamor, on Tuesday, March 10. This stunning publication's nostalgic insight into the stories of black fashion icons of the 20th century is another reason why black women---entertainers, dancers, actors, writer---carved a niche of their own in the annals of fashion history.
THE BATTLE OF VERSAILLES: Robin Givhan in conversation with FIT's Patricia Mears on

Wednesday, April 1. The Battle of Versailles: The Night American Fashion Stumbled into the Spotlight and Made History is not to be missed.. Robin Givhan, Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion critic for the Washington Post, presents her first book, The Battle of Versailles, the story of a 1973 face-off between five American designers, including Halston and Oscar de la Renta---and five French designers (Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin among them). Buoyed by a decision to use ten African American models (unheard of then) the underdog Yanks pulled off a victory, cementing American fashion as a major player on the international stage.
A series of Talks and Tours are also scheduled on selected evenings and weekday mornings, and begin in the museum lobby. Reservations are required. For a complete list email: museuminfo@fignyc.

LAUREN BACALL: The Look on Wednesday, March 11 at 10:30 am  and Monday, March 6 at 6 pm is my favorite. The look examines Bacall's distinctive style within the context of her modeling, film and theater careers.
Ta TA Darlings!!! Pollytalk will be present at several of these lectures, do say hello.  Fan mail welcome at pollytalknyc@gmail.com. Visit Polly's Blogs on remarkable men, amazing women, poetry and landmark finds...go to www.pollytalk.com and click in the left hand column on the link that gives you direct access.