May
5
2:00 PM14:00

ACI Met Gala Viewing Party

Fashion’s Biggest Night // ACI Met Gala Red Carpet Viewing 

Join us for a fashion-filled afternoon celebrating the Met Gala, the annual haute couture fundraising fete held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. Enjoy light bites and beverages, photos ops, gorgeous garments, and a livestream viewing of red-carpet arrivals with our guest fashion experts. We are pleased to host local fashion icons Howard Bell, Philip Manghisi and Gus Zistas, alongside Helen Jean, The Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion, who will share their insights into the celebrity fashions.   

The Met’s new spring fashion exhibition is Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, whichpresents a cultural and historical examination of Black style from the 18th century to the present through an exploration of the concept of dandyism. Tied to the featured exhibition, the dress code is “Tailored for You”, which can be interpreted by embracing looks reflective of one’s personal style, including inspired takes on suiting; menswear silhouettes through the years; men’s hats, ties, canes, brooches, and pocket squares; and menswear fabrications. 

Enjoy perusing select fashion books and periodicals from the Gene and Cathie Lemon Art Research Library, and shop for artful apparel, books, jewelry and more in The Museum Store which will be open during the event.

Dress to impress! Join us dressed in your interpretation of this year’s sartorial theme for an afternoon of camaraderie and fashion fun!   

$50 for ACI Members and $75 for the public.

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Mar
26
11:30 AM11:30

March ACI Member Event

Arizona Costume Institute Presents 

Booth Moore: My Life as a Fashion Insider and Journalist  

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 

11:30 am // Lunch 
Noon // Conversation with Booth Moore + Q&A 

Arizona Costume Institute invites you to a lunch and conversation with fashion editor and author, Booth Moore. Hear her experiences covering fashion week runway shows in New York and Europe for 25 years, interviewing stars on Hollywood’s red carpets, and introducing new fashion designers and brands. Learn about the many changes that occurred in the fashion scene throughout the years, including the ascendence of celebrity fashion stylists and social media influencers. 

About Booth Moore 
Based in Los Angeles, Booth Moore is the Executive Editor of the fashion industry “bible” Women’s Wear Daily. In between her 18-year stint at The Los Angeles Times, where she served as the first fashion critic in the newspaper’s history, and joining the team at The Hollywood Reporter as Style and Fashion News Director, she contributed to a range of publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Town & Country, Condé Nast Traveler and Robb Report

Moore travels regularly to review runway shows in New York and Europe and has interviewed nearly every major designer in the business including Ralph Lauren, Thom Browne, Rick Owens, Cate Holstein, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Gabriela Hearst, Victoria Beckham, among others. During her career, she has documented the ascendence of Los Angeles as a fashion capital, writing about the rise of Hollywood stylists, celebrities as designers, costume designers as influencers, talent agencies launching fashion divisions, and luxury brands getting into filmmaking. For the second year in January, she reported live from the Golden Globes red carpet as part of WWD’s Eye on the Red Carpet pre-show livestream. 

Moore has written business features about the success of Kim Kardashian’s Skims and L.A. brand DÔEN, covered the Indigenous fashion scene in Santa Fe, and penned stories about art, hospitality and lifestyle news, and trends for WWD’s Weekend. She has authored three books including The Glitter Plan: How We Started Juicy Couture with $200 and Turned It into a Global Brand and American Runway: 75 Years of Fashion and the Front Row

$25 for ACI Members* and $35 for one invited guest 
Presented in Singer Hall 
RSVP by Wednesday, March 19 

 *An active ACI Membership is required to RSVP 

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Mar
25
10:30 AM10:30

March ACI Benefactor-level Member Event

Arizona Costume Institute Presents 

Booth Moore: What Your Fashion Stylist May Not Tell You + Fashion’s Front Row  

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 

Hosted at a Private Residence

10:30 am // Champagne + Brunch Bites
11:00 am // Conversation with Booth Moore + Q&A  

Arizona Costume Institute invites you to a chic morning of fashion and conversation with fashion editor and author, Booth Moore. Hear her experiences from the front lines of fashion covering runway shows at fashion weeks in New York and Europe and conducting interviews on Hollywood’s red carpets for 25 years. She has witnessed first-hand the ascendance of celebrity stylists and high-profile designers, as the fashion landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace. 

About Booth Moore 
Based in Los Angeles, Booth Moore is the Executive Editor of the fashion industry “bible” Women’s Wear Daily. In between her 18-year stint at The Los Angeles Times, where she served as the first fashion critic in the newspaper’s history, and joining the team at The Hollywood Reporter as Style and Fashion News Director, she contributed to a range of publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Town & Country, Condé Nast Traveler and Robb Report

Moore travels regularly to review runway shows in New York and Europe and has interviewed nearly every major designer in the business including Ralph Lauren, Thom Browne, Rick Owens, Cate Holstein, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Gabriela Hearst, Victoria Beckham, among others. During her career, she has documented the ascendence of Los Angeles as a fashion capital, writing about the rise of Hollywood stylists, celebrities as designers, costume designers as influencers, talent agencies launching fashion divisions, and luxury brands getting into filmmaking. For the second year in January, she reported live from the Golden Globes red carpet as part of WWD’s Eye on the Red Carpet pre-show livestream. 

Moore has written business features about the success of Kim Kardashian’s Skims and L.A. brand DÔEN, covered the Indigenous fashion scene in Santa Fe, and penned stories about art, hospitality and lifestyle news, and trends for WWD’s Weekend. She has authored three books including The Glitter Plan: How We Started Juicy Couture with $200 and Turned It into a Global Brand and American Runway: 75 Years of Fashion and the Front Row

For ACI Benefactor Members exclusively as a benefit of their membership* 

Please RSVP by March 17.

Event location will be provided in your RSVP acknowledgement email. Valet parking is recommended.

*An active ACI Benefactor Membership at the Style Icon, Avant-Garde and Haute Couture levels is required to RSVP. To learn about your membership status or to upgrade your membership level contact support-aci@phxart.org or 602-307-2011.  

 

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Jan
15
5:00 PM17:00

ACI Membership Outreach Event

YOU’RE INVITED! 

 ACI Reception and Exhibition Viewing of  

 Greatest Fits  Volume 1: The Art of Archiving Fashion   

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15  

5 pm // Reception // Cummings Great Hall South  

6 - 8 pm // “Ask a Docent” Viewing of Greatest Fits // Kelly Ellman Fashion Galleries  

Interested in ACI, yet not an ACI member? You are invited as a special friend of Arizona Costume Institute and Phoenix Art Museum to attend a private reception and guided viewing of the latest fashion exhibition The Collection: Greatest Fits Volume 1: The art of Archiving Fashion. 

Greatest Fits  is an ongoing series that showcases the depth of the Museum’s fashion holdings. With more than 80 garments and accessories, the installation begins by tracing the evolution of the Museum’s collection from its founding in 1966 to the present day. Greatest Fits features archival works and early fashion acquisitions that highlight the impact of Arizona Costume Institute on the collection’s formation, while a graphic display of more than 20 all-black silhouettes visually represents defining moments in fashion history from the 18th century to contemporary times. 

The installation also highlights vignettes of significant fashion “happenings” and themes, such as the Battle at Versailles, a high-fashion showdown between American and French designers in 1973; outstanding examples of avant-garde fashions; garments that draw inspiration from Romanticism and Greco-Roman culture; and technology-driven designs. Notable designers and houses represented include Fortuny, Schiaparelli, Dior, Balenciaga, McQueen, among others. 

PhxArt Docents will be present in the exhibition to provide relevant details for the installation and answer questions.  We hope you will join us to learn more about ACI and meet new ACI friends. We look forward to seeing you!  

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.

RSVP is required. Please reply by January 7th.   

 Enjoy fashionable events all year long by becoming an ACI Member today!  

 Join ACI Membership   

Your generosity and involvement help support fashion exhibitions, acquisitions, and education programming at Phoenix Art Museum.     

 

Arizona Costume Institute 
Phoenix Art Museum 
1625 N Central Ave Phoenix, AZ 85004 
 
http://www.arizonacostumeinstitute.org 
 
support-aci@phxart.org 
 
602.307.2011  

Make a donation.  

 Photo credit: 

(Left to right) Jeanne Paquin, Black velvet tight-fitting evening dress with ostrich feather dropped skirt, 1930. Velvet (black), ostrich feathers. Gift of Mrs. Wesson Seyburn; Christian Dior, Black tulle evening gown with tulle ballerina skirt, 1955. Tulle (black). Gift of Mrs. George Ullman; Yves Saint Laurent, Black wool tuxedo jacket and tuxedo-style pants, 1967. Wool. Gift of Mrs. David E. K. Bruce

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Dec
9
10:30 AM10:30

ACI Holiday Luncheon

ARIZONA COSTUME INSTITUTE HOLIDAY LUNCHEON

featuring

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO

Monday, december 9, 2024

arizona biltmore resort

10:30 AM // champagne reception + luxury raffle

11:30 AM // Luncheon + program



about the designer

Award-winning CFDA designer Christian Siriano has established himself as a tour de force in the fashion world since launching his eponymous collection in 2008 following his studies in London under Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. Siriano’s designs have been worn by today’s biggest names including current FLOTUS Dr. Jill Biden, former FLOTUS Michelle Obama and VPOTUS Kamala Harris, Angelina Jolie, Oprah, Zendaya, Ariana Grande, Julianne Moore, Lady Gaga, Tiffany Haddish, Billy Porter, Cardi B, Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts, and Jennifer Coolidge, to name but a few. 

Having just celebrated the brand’s 15 year anniversary, the Siriano design studio continues to celebrate beauty and diversity in this ever-changing fashion industry. As a result, Christian’s work has been featured in a multitude of prestigious museum exhibits including his first ever solo work retrospective titled “Christian Siriano: People Are People” at SCAD in Savannah and Atlanta, respectively, as well as The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. He’s also contributed pieces to Kensington Palace’s largest exhibition to date titled “Crown to Couture,” the “Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear” exhibition at the V&A, “Grit to Glamour” at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and The MET Costume Institute where he broke a Met Gala record for having three separate looks featured in the 2021 exhibit “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” Christian himself was also named among Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2018 for his leading contributions to body diversity on the runway and red carpet, was a member of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 class of 2015, and was the youngest person to ever appear on Crain’s “40 Under 40” list at age 24. 

Apart from his thriving fashion empire, Christian has been the host and mentor for Bravo’s hit series “Project Runway” and recently added best-selling author (Dresses to Dream About and Dresses to Dream About: Deluxe Edition) and interior designer (Siriano Interiors) to his impressive list of credits. This past Spring saw the launch of the second collection of his furniture line and in September he released a new book called CHRISTIAN SIRIANO: THE NEW RED CARPET.


tickets ARE AVAILABLE!



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Member Opening - The Collection: Greatest Fits (Vol. 1): The Art of Archiving Fashion
Oct
8
4:30 PM16:30

Member Opening - The Collection: Greatest Fits (Vol. 1): The Art of Archiving Fashion

VIP Opening Celebration | The Collection: Greatest Fits (Vol. 1): The Art of Archiving Fashion

Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Sybil Harrington Director and CEO, and the Board of Trustees of Phoenix Art Museum, cordially invite you to an exclusive ACI Member reception celebrating The Collection: Greatest Fits (Vol. 1): The Art of Archiving Fashion, featuring more than 80 garments and accessories that offer the first major investigation into the formation of the renowned PhxArt fashion collection. Along with Circles members, ACI members will have special access to the installation, including cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and exhibition remarks.  

When
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 | 4:30 PM  

Where

Phoenix Art Museum

1625 North Central Avenue

Phoenix, AZ 85004

RSVP

RSVP by October 1
602-257-2115 or circles@phxart.org

About the Installation 

The Collection: Greatest Fits (Vol. 1): The Art of Archiving Fashion begins with an overview of the impact of Arizona Costume Institute on the collection’s expansion. Iconic silhouettes from the 18th century through the present and vignettes illustrating significant themes and historical moments demonstrate the collection’s ability to explore and educate about the larger history of fashion, showcasing the breadth and depth of the Museum’s fashion holdings.

Image credits: (Left to right) Bill Blass, Coat and Belt, 1960s. Printed cotton and patent leather. Gift of Joyce Harrison; Bonnie Cashin, Hot Pants, 1973. Suede. Gift of Mr. Philip Stills; Greatcoat, 1960s. Suede. Gift of Barbara D. Shear; Diane von Fürstenberg, Wrapped Jumpsuit, c.1977. Printed cotton knit. Gift of Mrs. Kelly Ellman

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ACI Cocktails & Conversation: Preservation, Conservation and the Digital World
Sep
26
5:30 PM17:30

ACI Cocktails & Conversation: Preservation, Conservation and the Digital World

Thursday, September 26, 2024 @ Phoenix Art Museum

5:30 pm // Reception // J.P. Morgan Chase Lobby

6 pm // Illustrated Presentations + Panel Discussion // Whiteman Lecture Hall

7 pm // Q&A // Whiteman Lecture Hall

Available for ACI Members, Members welcomed to invite one guest to join them.

Arizona Costume Institute invites you to join us as we explore the art of historic textile conservation and the important work of digitizing the PhxArt Fashion Collection.

Learn the intricate processes involved in restoring the beauty and integrity of significant pieces of the PhxArt fashion collection as presented by local conservator Martha Winslow Grimm. Witness the steps involved in digitally cataloguing over 9,000 objects to aid in properly identifying and marketing the collection to Museum patrons and other art institutions with Katie Jones-Weinart, Digital Assets Manager, and Rebekah Moynahan, Digitization Coordinator.

About Martha Grimm

After earning a graduate degree in Textile Science from Kansas State University and being awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Master Apprenticeship Grant to intern at the St. Louis Art Museum’s textile conservation laboratory, Martha Winslow Grimm, a native Phoenician, returned to Arizona and established a business as a costume and textile conservator serving Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, Musical Instrument Museum, and other museums and historical houses throughout the nation. Martha has worked with Phoenix Art Museum for over thirty years. She organizes and implements a nationwide service project each year that helps small museums with their costume, textile, and accessories collections. Since 2007, events have taken place in Maine, California, Virginia, the state of Washington, and places in between. Next year’s event, the Angels Project, will be held on May 31, 2025 in Los Angeles. Martha is married to a fellow native Phoenician and has two grown sons and four grandchildren. She is also a gardener, quilter, and traveler to many countries.

Purchase tickets by Wednesday, September 18th. We regret we are unable to offer tickets after that date.

Image credit: Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo, Blue velvet coat with gold stenciled painted design (Abrigo de terciopelo azul con diseño pintado en oro), 1934, silk velvet stenciled with metals, Gift of Mrs. Anne Robinson

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Lemon Library Book Club: Champagne Supernovas
Sep
21
1:00 PM13:00

Lemon Library Book Club: Champagne Supernovas

Champagne Supernovas—Kate Moss, Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, and the '90s Renegades Who Remade Fashion by Maureen Callahan

Welcome back! The first book of the fall season (though it still feels like summer) is Champagne Supernovas, an engrossing book that gives you the inside scoop from supermodels, stylists, editors, photographers, confidantes, club kids, and scenesters who tell the unvarnished story of three of the most influential personalities to emerge in fashion in decades—Kate Moss, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander McQueen. This book club selection highlights the Museum and Lemon Library fashion collections.

This program is intended for audiences 18 years and older.

This is a free event. Please reserve your ticket and check in at the Visitor Services Desk. 

RESERVE TICKETS

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Lemon Library Lecture: '90's Fashion Resources
Sep
21
12:00 PM12:00

Lemon Library Lecture: '90's Fashion Resources

Join librarian Jesse Lopez to learn about the fashion resources in the Lemon Library, with a focus on ‘90s fashion. Jesse will highlight fashion magazines from this period drawn from our Vogue, Vogue Paris, and Gentleman’s Quarterly (GQ) collections, as well counterculture magazines like FRUiTS. Additionally, we will examine fashion books from the era including those by or about Gianni Versace, Alexander McQueen, Vivenne Westwood, among others.

This program is intended for audiences 18 years and older.

Tickets are free for PhxArt Members. Ticket price includes Museum general admission.

RESERVE TICKETS

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Book Club: The Art Thief
Jun
15
1:30 PM13:30

Book Club: The Art Thief

Presented in the Lemon Art Research Library

Join librarian Jesse Alexander Lopez in the Lemon Library for a book club discussion.

From amazon:

In this spellbinding portrait of obsession and flawed genius, the best-selling author of The Stranger in the Woods brings us into Stéphane Breitwieser’s strange world.
For centuries, works of art have been stolen in countless ways from all over the world, but no one has been quite as successful at it as the master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Carrying out more than two hundred heists over nearly eight years—in museums and cathedrals all over Europe—Breitwieser, along with his girlfriend who worked as his lookout, stole more than three hundred objects, until it all fell apart in spectacular fashion.
In The Art Thief, Michael Finkel brings us into Breitwieser’s strange and fascinating world. Unlike most thieves, Breitwieser never stole for money. Instead, he displayed all his treasures in a pair of secret rooms where he could admire them to his heart’s content. Possessed of a remarkable athleticism and an innate ability to circumvent practically any security system, Breitwieser managed to pull off a breathtaking number of audacious thefts. Yet these strange talents bred a growing disregard for risk and an addict’s need to score, leading Breitwieser to ignore his girlfriend’s pleas to stop—until one final act of hubris brought everything crashing down.
This is a riveting story of art, crime, love, and an insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost.

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Book Club: Eyeliner--A Cultural History
May
18
1:30 PM13:30

Book Club: Eyeliner--A Cultural History

Presented in the Lemon Art Research Library

Join librarian Jesse Alexander Lopez in the Lemon Library for a book club discussion of Eyeliner: A Cultural History by Zahra Hankir.

From the distant past to the present, with fingers and felt-tipped pens, metallic powders and gel pots, humans have been drawn to lining their eyes. The aesthetic trademark of figures ranges from Nefertiti to Amy Winehouse. Seen through Zahra Hankir’s (kohl-lined) eyes, this ubiquitous but seldom-examined product becomes a portal to history, proof both of the stunning variety among cultures across time and space and of our shared humanity.

 

 

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Library Talk: Kanye, Virgil, Pharrell--Contemporary Fashion Books in the Lemon Library
May
18
12:00 PM12:00

Library Talk: Kanye, Virgil, Pharrell--Contemporary Fashion Books in the Lemon Library

Presented in the Lemon Art Research Library

The Lemon Art Research Library actively collects new books and periodicals from across the wide spectrum of fashion.  Join librarian Jesse Alexander Lopez for a talk about some of the recent books by and about fashion luminaries including former creative director of Louis Vuitton, the late Virgil Abloh, and current head Pharrell Williams. Other highlighted works include Gucci’s collaboration with streetwear pioneer Dapper Dan, as well as books by Rick Owens, Maison Martin Margiela, and Nigo, founder of Japanese streetwear brand Bape.

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Met Gala Red Carpet Viewing Party
May
6
3:00 PM15:00

Met Gala Red Carpet Viewing Party

Monday, May 6

2:45pm Photos and Reception Starts

3:00pm Livestream from the Met Gala Red Carpet

Singer Hall 

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. THANK YOU! Affectionately referred to as “fashion’s biggest night out,” the Met Gala 2024 is an annual benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City that is held on the first Monday in May. The event welcomes stars, young creatives, and industry paragons with a scene-stealing red carpet. The 2024 Met Gala will celebrate the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” 

ACI is pleased to partner with local fashion stylist, Risa Kostis, as our guest commentator during the red carpet and will be joined by Helen Jean, The Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design, who will share her insights of the celebrity fashions as well as images from our Fashion-design collection. 

Join us dressed to impress in your interpretation of this year’s sartorial theme, “Garden of Time”, for an afternoon of camaraderie, bevs + bites and fashion fun! 

About Risa Kostis 

Risa Kostis is a seasoned style expert, speaker, and entrepreneur based in Phoenix, Arizona. She is the founder of top Arizona styling company Risa Kostis Creative, and CEO/co-founder of The Rescue Kit Company, fashion emergency kits for brides and beyond. She has an extensive background in categories such as hairstyling & makeup artistry, public relations, production and development, event planning, personal shopping, and for the last decade has been styling for private clients, athletes, celebrities, and weddings. Her 20+ years in the fashion and beauty industries have been recognized internationally from San Francisco and New York City to Florence, Italy with editorial work and styling seen in over 50 media outlets like The Today Show, Good Morning America, Vogue Italia, Huffington Post, Authority Magazine, Modern Luxury, Thrive Global, the E! channel, and currently on global YouTube phenomenon, Ms. Rachel and Mr. Aron. For years, she has appeared regularly as a fashion contributor on various TV stations including Channel 3's Your Life Arizona and has frequently served as a speaker and panelist for organizations such as Girls Mentorship, Powerhouse Women, and local film festival, Fash Film Fete.  

Active ACI members may bring one guest: $20 for ACI Members and $30 for their guest. 

Please Reply by April 28th. We regret we cannot accept late reservations.

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. THANK YOU! Reserve Your TICKET 

JOIN ACI

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Book Club:  The Secret Lives of Color
Apr
27
1:30 PM13:30

Book Club: The Secret Lives of Color

Presented in the Lemon Art Research Library

Following Color and Hue Library Talk in the Lemon Library,  join librarian Jesse Alexander Lopez in the Lemon Library for a book club discussion of The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair.

The Secret Lives of Color tells the unusual stories of seventy-five fascinating shades, dyes, and hues. From blonde to ginger, the brown that changed the way battles were fought to the white that protected against the plague, Picasso’s blue period to the charcoal on the cave walls at Lascaux, acid yellow to kelly green, and from scarlet women to imperial purple, these surprising stories run like a bright thread throughout history.

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Library Talk: Color and Hue
Apr
27
12:00 PM12:00

Library Talk: Color and Hue

Presented in the Lemon Art Research Library

In celebration of the latest fashion-design exhibition The Power of Pink, join librarian Jesse Alexander Lopez in the Lemon Library for a discussion on all things color. The talk will highlight popular art books about color, including a rare first edition of Interaction of Color by Josef Albers, Japanese Art Deco masterpiece A Dictionary of Color Combinations Vol 1 & 2 by Sanzo Wada, and the fascinating series A History of a Color by French scholar Michel Pastoureau, among other works.

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Behind-the-Stage: The Production of Designer Fashion Shows
Apr
23
11:00 AM11:00

Behind-the-Stage: The Production of Designer Fashion Shows

You’re Invited! ACI Behind-the-Runway with Fashion Producer Margaret Merritt

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

11 AM // ACI Presentation // Singer Hall

Noon // Q & A

Join us for a special presentation exclusively for Style Icon, Avant-Garde and Haute Couture ACI Members. Local luxury fashion producer Margaret Merritt will provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse into her role managing major fashion shows across the globe for world-renowned fashion brands and couture designers. Learn what happens behind the stage before the music starts!

Following the presentation, Helen Jean, Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design, will feature collection-relevant highlights from recent fashion week shows.

Light brunch bites and specialty beverages will be provided. We look forward to seeing you!

Reserve Your TICKET

Want to join us? Upgrade your membership level here: ACI Memberships

About Margaret Merritt

Born and raised in Dallas, TX, Margaret Merritt started producing fashion shows by cutting models out of pattern books and lining them up along the fireplace, long before she knew where it would lead. She continued to develop a taste for fashion while working at the Dallas Apparel Mart and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

In the early 80’s, Merritt worked as an agent for the Kathy Muller Agency in Hawaii. After relocating to Arizona, she was the Fashion and PR Director at Saks Fifth Avenue for many years. Merritt decided to return to the modeling industry and opened The Agency Arizona, a full-service modeling agency. The Agency launched many renowned superstar models that can be seen in national campaigns and on international runways.

Merritt now focuses her talents on fashion show production, including concept, design, styling, casting, and staffing. She consistently works with clients such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and numerous designers throughout the country. Her attention to detail, unwavering commitment, and impeccable vision, has established an excellent reputation in Arizona and throughout the country.

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Book Club:  Guarding the Art + All the Beauty in the World
Mar
16
1:30 PM13:30

Book Club: Guarding the Art + All the Beauty in the World

Location: Lemon Art Research Library

Phoenix Art Museum is currently exhibiting “Guarding the Art: A Frontline Perspective.” This unique exhibition challenges traditional museum hierarchies by producing a show comprised of works selected by guest curators from among the Museum’s frontline staff.

Join Librarian Jesse Alexander Lopez and Cohn Assistant Curator of Contemporary and Community Art Initiatives, Christian Ramirez, to discuss “All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley.  Patrick Bringley is a former New Yorker staffer who spent a decade as a frontline museum guard at the famed institution.

“An astounding book about an astounding place. All the Beauty in the World is at once a keenly intelligent examination of the power of art and a profoundly empathetic exploration of the workaday culture that makes art visible to all.” —Alex Ross, New Yorker staff writer and author of Wagnerism and The Rest is Noise

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ACI LUNCH &  LECTURE WITH KAREN FEDER
Mar
6
11:30 AM11:30

ACI LUNCH & LECTURE WITH KAREN FEDER

ACI LUNCH & LECTURE WITH KARAN FEDER 

*THANK YOU - THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT!

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

11:30am // ACI Lunch // Singer Hall

12:30pm // Lecture with Karan Feder // Whiteman Hall

$25 for ACI Members | $35 for non-member guest
Lecture is open to all Museum attendees and is included with general admission
 

Join us for a special March lunch event celebrating The Power of Pink. Following lunch, costume historian Karan Feder will share a behind-the-scenes look of her role in curating special-engagement exhibition Barbie®: A Cultural Icon.  Karan will sign copies of her book Barbie Takes the Catwalk: A Style Icon’s History in Fashion, available for purchase in The Museum Store, after the lecture.

We look forward to seeing you in your favorite shade of pink! 

*SOLD OUT!

Tickets for lunch must be purchased by February 29th.   

Current ACI Members may purchase a ticket for one guest.  

About the Speaker 

Karan Feder is a leading expert in the field of costume history, preservation, and exhibition. She has worked as a costume consultant for the famed Liberace Foundation and Museum, The Mob Museum, and David Copperfield’s International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts. Her instrumental contribution to the Nevada State Museum-Las Vegas produced a dazzling archive recognized as one of the world’s notable museum collections of cabaret costumes. Feder is lauded for spearheading the initiative to rescue the surviving stage costumes from the legendary Folies Bergère cabaret, a beloved Las Vegas fixture at the Hotel Tropicana for nearly five decades. Through her unique lens as a fashion historian, Feder has authored seven publications interpreting popular culture, and she is a frequent lecturer and consultant on the subject

 Exhibition Sponsors

BARBIE®: A CULTURAL ICON  was created by Illusion Projects and curated by costume historian Karan Feder, in collaboration with Mattel. The exhibition’s presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Helen Jean, the Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design.  

The Phoenix premiere of Barbie®: A Cultural Icon is made possible through the generosity of The Opatrny Family Foundation, Arizona Costume Institute (ACI), Desert Financial Credit Union, Men’s Arts Council, My Sister’s Closet, Shamrock Farms, and Miriam and Yefim Sukhman.   

All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin. 

The Power of Pink is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and curated by Helen Jean, the Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design at Phoenix Art Museum.

The Power of Pink is made possible through the generosity of Arizona Costume Institute (ACI), My Sister’s Closet and the Kelly Ellman Fashion Design Endowment Fund.  

All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin. 

 

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VIP Reception /// Barbie® A Cultural Icon + The Power of Pink
Feb
13
6:00 PM18:00

VIP Reception /// Barbie® A Cultural Icon + The Power of Pink

VIP Reception /// Barbie® A Cultural Icon + The Power of Pink

Tuesday, February 13, 2024 /// 6 – 8 pm

Phoenix Art Museum 
1625 North Central Avenue 

Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Sybil Harrington Director and CEO, and the Board of Trustees of Phoenix Art Museum cordially invite you to an exclusive reception celebrating Barbie®: A Cultural Icon and The Power of Pink. Along with special access to the exhibitions, enjoy light refreshments and curator remarks.

RSVP by February 6, 2024

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. THANK YOU!

About the Exhibitions 

Barbie®: A Cultural Icon examines the evolution and impact of Barbie from child’s toy to global phenomenon. The major exhibition, created by Illusion Projects and curated by costume historian Karan Feder in collaboration with Mattel, Inc., showcases more than 250 vintage dolls—including the original Barbie released in 1959—from the collections of private collector David Porcello and Mattel. It also features more than 50 historical objects and life-sized fashion designs, video interviews with Barbie designers on custom-made Barbie Dreamhouse TVs, and unique photo opportunities, including a life-size Barbie Mirror-Pink Corvette. 

Drawn entirely from the PhxArt Collection,The Power of Pink complements Barbie®: A Cultural Icon by celebrating and exploring the complex history of the color synonymous with the Barbie brand. The exhibition traces the evolution of the hue across fashion history, from its origins in 17th-century France, where it was worn by both men and women as a symbol of status, luxury, and power, to 1940s North America, where mass-marketing efforts began to gender the color, assigning pink to girls and blue to boys. Featuring more than 10 garments and ensembles, The Power of Pink highlights the work of major designers, including Gianfranco Ferré, Christian Dior, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, and more. 

Exhibition Sponsors

BARBIE®: A CULTURAL ICON  was created by Illusion Projects and curated by costume historian Karan Feder, in collaboration with Mattel. The exhibition’s presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Helen Jean, the Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design.  

The Phoenix premiere of Barbie®: A Cultural Icon is made possible through the generosity of:  

The Opatrny Family Foundation, Arizona Costume Institute (ACI), Desert Financial Credit Union, Men’s Arts Council, My Sister’s Closet, Shamrock Farms, and Miriam and Yefim Sukhman.   

All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin. 

The Power of Pink is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and curated by Helen Jean, the Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design at Phoenix Art Museum.

The Power of Pink is made possible through the generosity of Arizona Costume Institute (ACI), My Sister’s Closet and the Kelly Ellman Fashion Design Endowment Fund.  

All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin. 

 

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Arizona Costume Institute Presents: Lunch & Lecture – Lloyd Kiva New, Pioneer of Modern Indigenous Fashion
Nov
15
11:30 AM11:30

Arizona Costume Institute Presents: Lunch & Lecture – Lloyd Kiva New, Pioneer of Modern Indigenous Fashion

Wednesday, November 15
$25 for active ACI Members | $35 for guests*

The lecture is open to the public and included with general Museum admission. 

11:30 am /// Lunch in Singer Hall

12:30 pm /// Lecture in Whiteman Hall

Join Scottsdale historian Joan Fudala, for an engaging presentation featuring the art and fashions of Cherokee fashion designer Lloyd Henri “Kiva” New, highlighting his broad Southwestern influence. New was an innovator of Indigenous Modernism and charter member of the Arizona Craftsmen cooperative, which aided the development of Scottsdale into a center for hand-crafted arts and fashions. 

 *ACI Members may bring one guest

 Please RSVP by Thursday, November 9.

TICKETS

About the speaker: 

Joan Fudala is a community historian, consultant and history columnist for local publications.  She is the author of eight books, including The People’s Preserve; Historic Scottsdale: A Life from the Land; Images of America – Scottsdale; Golf in Scottsdale; 50 Years of the Scottsdale Charros & Spring Training; and Desert Highlands.   

Joan serves on Scottsdale’s Museum of the West Board of Trustees, the Scottsdale Historical Society Advisory Board.  She has been recognized as Scottsdale’s Woman of the Year, with Scottsdale Leadership’s Frank Hodges Alumni Achievement Award, the Scottsdale Library’s Spirit of Literacy and Visionary Awards, the Arizona Governor’s Heritage Preservation Award, DAR’s Women in History Award and as a Scottsdale History Hall of Fame inductee. 

She began researching Lloyd Kiva New in 2000, heard him deliver the eulogy at Phil Curtis’ memorial service at the Phoenix Art Museum in November 2000, and visited his home and widow, Aysen, in Santa Fe in 2005.  She has written extensively about Kiva and his fellow Arizona Craftsmen and fashion artists of the 1950s, produced a video segment for Kiva’s 2005 induction into the Scottsdale History Hall of Fame, co-curated an exhibit of Kiva items at the Museum of the West in 2017, and wrote the historic narrative for the successful nomination that listed the Kiva Craft Center on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.  She also appears in the 2022 documentary about the life of Lloyd Kiva, “New: Art is Culture, Culture is Art.” 

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ACI Cocktails & Conversation - Hip Hop Culture and Couture
Oct
25
5:30 PM17:30

ACI Cocktails & Conversation - Hip Hop Culture and Couture

Join Ashley LaRae Sampson, Founder & President of StylePHX, as she presents a snapshot of the Hip Hop music industry and shares her experience as a stylist touring with hip-hop’s most high-profile, celebrity performers.

Enjoy a no-host reception prior to the lecture. 

Singer Hall, located in the Education Building.

Event tickets are complimentary for current ACI Members; $5 for the public. Reserve your seat by Monday, October 23. Click HERE for your ticket.

About the speaker:

After beginning her career as a celebrity fashion stylist, touring with world-renown superstars such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Keyshia Cole along with fashion consulting for various musicians, athletes, businesspersons and projects, Ashley now teaches people how to align their personal and professional brands with their Ideal Self through image & brand consulting, business and spiritual advising, mindfulness, sound healing, art, and esoteric tools with StylePHX, founded in 2010, accompanying brand-curated Shop (ShopStylePHX.com), Grow|StylePHX Garden, and healing outreach, The Esoteric Blueprint.

Over the years, Ashley has also instructed a course at her alma mater, Arizona State University, in their Herberger Institute School of Art - Fashion program and has produced and hosted shows for Social Television Network (STNTV), where you can stream her healing mini-series, ‘Of Sound Mind,’ interviews with community leaders on ‘Arizona Achievers’ and more.

Ashley has dedicated free time to community empowerment through Grow|StylePHX Garden at Project Roots AZ, as a member of Phoenix College President's Advisory Council, a Million Dollar Teacher Project and OneMillion Entrepreneurs Advisor, Past Chair of Phoenix Valley Young Professionals, Communications Director for AIGA Arizona, Marketing Co-Chair for Girls in Tech Phoenix, Vice Chair of Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams’ Business Council, Youth Mentor with New Pathways for Youth, and member of Achieve60AZ African American Attainment Equity Task Force.

Ashley is a proud alumnus of Arizona State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Minor in Communication Studies before attending Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles for a Professional Designation in Visual Communication.

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Oct
21
1:30 PM13:30

Lemon Art Research Library Book Club: Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem, A Memoir by Daniel Day

Lemon Art Research Library Book Club: Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem, A Memoir by Daniel Day

October 21 | 1:30 pm

Free for Members and the general public

Presented in the Lemon Art Research Library

Join librarian Jesse Lopez for a short presentation highlighting some of the Lemon Art Research Library’s fashion resources available to the public for free, including our Vogue archive and special fashion collections, with an emphasis on contemporary hip-hop fashion books. Afterwards, discuss the autobiography of revolutionary designer Dapper Dan, a visionary who merged hip-hop aesthetic and high fashion at the turn of the 20th century. More information available soon at phxart.org.

 

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Oct
21
12:00 PM12:00

Public Talk: The Garment League

Public Talk: The Garment League
October 21 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Free for Members | Included with general admission for the general public
Presented in Whiteman Hall. Limited capacity.

From high fashion to street fashion, garments today touch on big themes, such as identity, consumerism, self-authenticity, group identification, politics, and pleasure. Join us for a panel discussion about these issues with designer Aalim Hughey and boutique owner Mika Jerry, moderated by The Garment League founder Tricee Thomas. More information available soon at phxart.org.

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FashFilmFete Festival
Sep
23
11:00 AM11:00

FashFilmFete Festival

FashFilmFete Festival

September 23 | 11 am - 5 pm

Locations: Cummings Great Hall and Whiteman Hall 

FashFilmFete Festival
FashFilmFete™ is a premiere film festival exploring the history and future of fashion storytelling through the curation of Hollywood, indie, experimental, and documentary films that showcase the significance of fashion in filmmaking. FashFilmFete™ aims to bring together a global community of fashion and film aficionados to explore style in cinema and its influence on pop culture, fashion design, contemporary art, and beauty standards, providing a platform for historically underrepresented voices in film and fashion. 

TICKETS:

The All Access Pass includes one (1) feature-length documentary, four (4) shorts, a panel discussion, and a director Q&A. VIP Pass includes all the above plus a gift and a filmmaker meet and greet with light hors d’oeuvres at the Phoenix Theatre starting at 5:30 p.m.

$35 for Members | $25 for Students | $45 for the general public | VIP Pass $75 | $20 for Featured Film Single Ticket (Member tickets discount at checkout with active membership - Choose General ticket) 

Whiteman Schedule

11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: Series of Shorts
•    "American Made," directed by Dana Nies
•    "The Power Is Yours," directed by Urivaldo Lopes and Steeven Kodjia
•    "Time is Eternal," directed by Daniel M. Lir and Bayou Bennett (Award Presentation),
•    "Diamond Minds," directed by Maurice Porcher and Karim Staine

1-1:30 p.m.: "Fashion’s Impact on Film and Culture" Panel Discussion (Angela Johnson, Maurice Porcher, Ashley LaRae Sampson, Karim Staine)

1:30–2 p.m.: Intermission

2-3:45 p.m.: "Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field" (Award presentation)

4–4:30 p.m.: "Happy Clothes" Q&A with director Michael Selditch

4:30–5 p.m.: Event ends 

Great Hall Schedule

11 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
•    "CityCentralDC – "Celebrating You," directed by Dean Alexander
•    Finissage," directed by Pabli Stein and Sebastian Muro
•    Franciacorta: A Golden Feeling," directed by Enea Colombi
•    "House of Mystic Magic," directed by Alexander Miguel
•    "How to Deal With Fame," directed by Tiffany Ike
•    "The Missing Piece," directed by Hitaali Dharamsh

Click HERE to purchase tickets.

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Sep
13
5:30 PM17:30

Cocktails & Conversation - Men's Tailoring

ARIZONA COSTUME INSTITUTE COCKTAILS & CONVERSATION
MEN'S TAILORING

Wednesday, September 13

Join Arizona Costume Institute to kick-off the new season and to celebrate men’s fashion and the fine art of tailoring.

Enjoy an evening at Phoenix Art Museum beginning with a cocktail reception, followed by an introduction on menswear and tailoring by Helen Jean, Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design, and an engaging conversation with a guest panel of talented local tailors. The program will be moderated by style arbiter, fashion producer and critic, Oscar De las salas.

Guest Panelists:

JC Donaldson – House of Donaldson

Arif Jelani - DIOR, Scottsdale

James Keller – Ferragamo

Pete Zistas – Brother’s Tailoring Scottsdale

Presented in Singer Hall, located in the Administration Building

5:30 PM Reception

6:00 PM Program

This is an ACI Member-only event.  Each Member may bring one guest.  Please reserve a ticket for you and your guest to attend.

Please RSVP by Thursday, September 7th. Click below to reserve your seat.

TICKETS

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Aug
16
5:00 PM17:00

Summer Social Hour Tours

SUMMER SOCIAL TOURS

3rd Wednesday of the month | 5pm
Meet in Greenbaum Lobby

This summer, beat the heat with social docent-led tours of fashion-related exhibitions and archives. We will meet in Greenbaum Lobby and then move to the galleries together. No RSVP necessary.


Wednesday, August 16 // 5pm - tour of Fashioning Self: The Photography of Everyday Expression which examines the role of photography in shaping, sharing, and shifting identity- much like clothing does in self expression.

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Aug
9
6:00 PM18:00

Lemon Library Lecture: Fashion Resources

August 9 | 6 pm

Free for Members and the general public

Presented in the Lemon Art Research Library

The Gene and Cathie Lemon Art Research Library has a wide and unique variety of fashion resources available, including the Astaire Library of Costume and Fashion. The Lemon Library maintains a near full run of iconic fashion magazines like Vogue, Vogue France, Harper’s BAZAAR, and GQ. The Lemon Library also collects counterculture fashion publications like Japanese street fashion magazine FRUiTS. Additionally, researchers can freely access online databases including the Vogue Archive and Women’s Wear Daily. The Lemon Library is located on the first floor of the Administration Building.

Join librarian Jesse Lopez to learn how to use these amazing resources. To reserve your spot, and for more information, click here.

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Jul
19
5:00 PM17:00

Summer Social Hour Tours

SUMMER SOCIAL TOURS

3rd Wednesday of the month | 5pm
Meet in Greenbaum Lobby

This summer, beat the heat with social docent-led tours of fashion-related exhibitions and archives. We will meet in Greenbaum Lobby and then move to the galleries together. No RSVP necessary.


Wednesday, July 19 // 5pm - tour of the European and American galleries featuring items from the fashion collection to compliment the paintings of the same era. 


Wednesday, August 16 // 5pm - tour of Fashioning Self: The Photography of Everyday Expression which examines the role of photography in shaping, sharing, and shifting identity- much like clothing does in self expression.

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Jun
21
5:00 PM17:00

Summer Social Hour Tours

SUMMER SOCIAL TOURS

3rd Wednesday of the month | 5pm
Meet in Greenbaum Lobby

This summer, beat the heat with social docent-led tours of fashion-related exhibitions and archives. We will meet in Greenbaum Lobby and then move to the galleries together. No RSVP necessary.

Wednesday, June 21 // 5pm - tour of the Astaire Library of Costume with librarian, Jesse Lopez, a special collection that houses many rare books and prints relating to costume and textile- including every printed issue of Vogue


Wednesday, July 19 // 5pm - tour of the European and American galleries featuring items from the fashion collection to compliment the paintings of the same era. 


Wednesday, August 16 // 5pm - tour of Fashioning Self: The Photography of Everyday Expression which examines the role of photography in shaping, sharing, and shifting identity- much like clothing does in self expression.

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May
24
6:00 PM18:00

Film Screening: The First Monday in May

Wednesday, May 24

6 – 8:30 pm

TICKETS: $5 for Members and the general public

Whiteman Lecture Hall

Join PhxArt and FashFilmFete for a night at the museum when fashion meets film. Quarterly screenings will feature films in which fashion is a pivotal component to the storytelling. Each screening will include a discussion panel with an audience Q&A after the film. 

The First Monday in May offers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at two of New York’s premiere cultural events, including the creation of China: Through The Looking Glass, the most attended fashion exhibition in the history of The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the 2015 Met Gala.

Rated PG-13. Estimated: 1.5 h.

Tickets available for purchase at the front desk.

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May
17
5:30 PM17:30

ACI Cocktails and Fashion Conversation with Hermann Plank

5:30pm | Reception | Great Hall

6:30pm | Lecture with Hermann Plank | Whiteman Lecture Hall

Free for ACI Members, $5 for non-members

 

Guest speaker Hermann Plank will take fashion digital. As the Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of METAXFASHION Inc., the presentation will go in detail on NFTs and provide a first glance on how fashion designers and brands can mint their own designs, and customers can buy and trade fashion NFTs.

 

About the Speaker

Hermann Plank is the President of TecnoKal, an international marketing and technology company in Scottsdale, AZ focusing on innovation workshops, manufacturing assessments and digital twin implementation in the plastics industry. Hermann holds a Master's degree in Polymer Science and Engineering from University Leoben, Austria, and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Since 2007 he has been an advisory board member of Phoenix Fashion Week focusing on operational excellence, growth strategies and teaching emerging fashion designers Six Sigma philosophy. Hermann is also Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of METAXFASHION Inc. creating the first ever NFT Eco System for Fashion designers and brands on the Algorand Blockchain. 

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