Harlem during the Jazz Age was renowned for the style of its denizens. The twenties was a time of radical transformation for clothing, and Harlem was at the cutting edge of new trends, influencing mainstream fashion and culture in unprecedented ways. This conversation will examine what people wore during the Harlem Renaissance and beyond, from flapper dresses to Zoot suits. The style of fashionable Harlemites has had a lasting influence on fashion and is still felt today.
For this program on both men’s and women’s vintage fashion, the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles travels to New York City’s Harlem of the 1920s and 30s, during the intellectual, social and artistic explosion that erupted in the Black cultural mecca. While Harlem Renaissance figures such as Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes and Louis Armstrong are still well known cultural figures today, many of the enterprising women who used their expert sewing skills to launch successful fashion design businesses during this influential period are not as widely known. Rediscover them in this illustrated presentation with two cultural and fashion historians. And don’t worry, for those interested in mid-century fashion, there will be something for you too!
