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PROGRAMS / READING GROUPS / A Passion for Fashion

“Fashion is part of the daily air and it changes all the time, with all the events. You can even see the approaching of a revolution in clothes. You can see and feel everything in clothes.”
– Diana Vreeland

Fashion – the word suggests frothy Parisian confections of tulle and lace that stir our very souls! But fashion is much more than beautiful clothing – it is a powerful social force that reflects our cultural development and our shared historical trajectory. This group will explore how the complex phenomenon of fashion has touched and enriched the literary world. Take a look at our stylish reading selections strutting their stuff down the runway – all with a common theme, A Passion for Fashion!

OVERVIEW

In the non-fiction arena, we’ll learn more about a very diverse group of remarkable personalities – including royal trend-setter Marie Antoinette, acclaimed designer Elsa Schiaparelli, irrepressible fashion journalist Diana Vreeland, esteemed “street and society” photographer Bill Cunningham, and madcap style guru Simon Doonan. And our tales of fiction will lead us to Christian Dior’s haute couture salon in Paris, to the burgeoning Harlem drag ball scene in the 1980’s, to a young Filipino fashion designer’s harrowing detention at Guantanamo, and finally to the Devil himself (or herself in this case) who, as it turns out, actually does wear Prada!

So all aboard for a glittering journey through some very cosmopolitan terrain. Our destination is that fascinating nexus where beauty, personal style, design genius, and cultural history converge in a dynamic interrelationship – fashion!

MEETING AND READING SCHEDULE

The group will meet on the 1st Sunday afternoon of each month from September through May at 2:00 – 3:30 PM in the Athenæum’s Bound (except for September and January, when we’ll meet on the 2nd Sunday).

The facilitator will provide a syllabus with a brief narrative commentary on our monthly selections and suggested YouTube videos to enhance our reading experience. You can expect lively discussions to take place in good company throughout the year!

Sun, September 11
Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution, Caroline Weber

Sun, October 2
Shocking Life: The Autobiography of Elsa Schiaparelli, Elsa Schiaparelli

Sun, November 6
Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris (a.k.a Flowers for Mrs. Harris or Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris), Paul Gallico

Sun, December 4
D. V., Diana Vreeland. Edited by George Plimpton & Christopher Hemphill

Sun, January 8
Fashion Climbing, Bill Cunningham. Preface by Hilton Als

Sun, February 5
The House of Impossible Beauties, Joseph Cassara

Sun, March 5
From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant, Alex Gilvarry

Sun, April 2
The Asylum: True Tales of Madness from a Life in Fashion, Simon Doonan

Sun, May 7
The Devil Wears Prada, Lauren Weisberger

GROUP FACILITATOR

Kip Brott is a card-carrying fashion aficionado who earned his BA and MA degrees in art history from UCLA. He has taken courses in fashion history at RISD, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and Parsons School of Design. He has also served as the coordinator of several popular fashion history classes at the Lifelong Learning Collaborative here in Providence. At the Athenæum, Kip led the Stylish Revolutionaries reading group last year and he has been a member of other groups in the past. In all his endeavors, Kip has drawn inspiration from the words of fashion icon Lady Gaga, who once said, “I’m just trying to change the world, one sequin at a time.”

This group has reached capacity and the waitlist has been closed.

The Athenæum is deeply grateful to our wonderful volunteer leaders. Please note library reading groups are not classes or courses, but rather a way for individuals to discuss readings together, guided by both expert and amateur enthusiasts. Participants should expect discussion-based, not lecture-style meetings.