Thursday Nights at the Museum | The Business of Fashion

Kick off your weekend at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park! Each Thursday Night at the Museum will be the most fun, engaging, uplifting, thought-provoking, perspective-shaping night of your week. And there are drinks. Join us starting at 5:30pm for happy hour and pop-up activities, such as brief tours, games, and performances. The main stage comes to life at 6:30pm, light appetizers and drinks are available for purchase until 7:00pm, and the Museum’s exhibits are open until 8:00pm for you to explore!

From the late 19th century through the end of World War II, St. Louis was outmatched only by New York City in garment manufacturing. Much of the industry was located on Washington Avenue—the street that boasted more shoe manufacturers than any other street in the world and was the birthplace of junior wear. St. Louis’s shoe and garment industry began a long decline in the 1950s, but the last several years have seen a reversal of that trend. Join Curator Adam MacPhàrlain for a presentation about St. Louis’s fashion history, followed by a roundtable conversation with some of the fashion professionals who are working to put St. Louis back on the fashion map. Panelists include Paulette Black (editor, Coverings Magazine), Felia Davenport (associate professor and owner, Kaleesi Rose Kollection), Audra Harrold (executive director, STL Fashion Alliance), Mary Ruppert-Stroescu (designer and associate professor, Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts), and Susan Sherman (co-founder, St. Louis Fashion Fund).

Support for St. Louis Strong programming is provided by Bank of America.