October 10, 2010

Fashion In Fiction-The Dark Side of Fashion was a three day conference that explored Roland Barthers' concept that fashion is not just an industry, but a set of fictions. On Friday and Saturday, registered guests and participants attended interdisciplinary conference sessions listening to papers and viewing works of art related to the ideas of fashion as a form of fiction and narrative. Scholars from across the globe representing Japan, China, Australia, Western & Eastern Europe and the United States were in attendance. Distinguished speakers included renowned fashion scholars Dr. Patricia A. Cunningham from The Ohio State University, Dr. Susan Kaiser from University of California, Davis and Mr. Andrew Bolton, Associate Curator of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

As part of the conference finale there was a special screening and discussion of the newly released film DRESSED. The discussion included director, David Swajeski, producer MaryAnne Grisz and the film's subject Nary Manivong. This documentary is about young designer Nary Manivong, who was homeless at fourteen in Columbus Ohio. Despite the tremendous odds against him, the story follows Nary as he pursues his dream to show his collection at New York's Fashion Week. DRESSED is set against the backdrop of the fashion industry.