Doll Dressing Symposium

black sleeveless dress with print of a dress with floral prints at the bottom of the scalloped hem, outlined in white with tabs on side — Undercover (Jun Takahasi), printed wool dress, fall 2003, gift of Patricia Pastor, 2023.23.5

Friday, November 13, 2026 | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Katie Murphy Amphitheatre | Fred P. Pomerantz Art and Design Center

The Museum at FIT's 36th symposium is planned in conjunction with the exhibition Doll Dressing. Extending well beyond the realm of childhood play, fashion dolls have not merely worn the latest trends, but set them. Doll-inspired looks communicate personal style, fantasy, and identity. Speakers include designer Jasmin Larian Hekmat of Cult Gaia, Masafumi Monden from the University of Sydney, curator and author Patricia Mears, Christophe Koné from Williams College, and others.

Schedule

Speaker Bios | Reading List

Friday, MARCH 27, 2026
10:00 am	Welcoming Remarks, Jason S. Schupbach, President of FIT
10:05 am	Introduction, Dr. Valerie Steele, Director and Chief Curator of The Museum at FIT
10:10 am	Dr. Colleen Hill, "Doll Dressing"
10:45 am	Lynn Yaeger in conversation with Dr. Valerie Steele
	10 min break
11:30 am	Frank New, "Beyond the Dollhouse: Queer Histories of Fashion Dolls"
Noon	Patricia Mears, "The Gratitude Train: Couture Fashion Dolls of the 20th Century"
12:30 – 2:00 pm	Lunch
2:00 pm	Jasmin Larian Hekmat in conversation with Dr. Colleen Hill
2:30 pm	Lagueria Davis in conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Way
	10 minute break
3:15 pm	Dr. Christophe Koné, "The Return of the Repressed: Helmust Newton's Unanny mannequins"
3:45 pm	Masafumi Monden, "Japanese Dolls: Dolling up the Body Beautiful"
4:14 pm	Jason Wu in conversation with Dr. Colleen Hill

The Doll Dressing Symposium has been made possible thanks to the generosity of the Couture Council of The Museum at FIT.