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Step back in time and into the beating heart of the American fashion industry on our jam packed, ultra-exclusive day tours of New York City with fashion historians April Calahan and Cassidy Zachary, the hosts of the podcast Dressed: The History of Fashion. From world class fashion collections to the famed Garment District, the second edition of our  experience is filled with incredibly special, behind the “seams” tours not available to the general public. We will meet museum curators, past Dressed guests and expert fashion makers. 

You don’t want to miss these one-of-kind day tours in one of the world's fashion capitals. Register for one, two or all three days with our mix-and-match New York offerings exclusively for Spring 2025!

Today we immerse ourselves in the archives and collections of one of the world's top fashion institutions, the Fashion Institute of Technology.  

Morning: Our time at FIT will include not one, but two private collections tours led by Dressed co-hosts April Calahan and Cassidy Zachary. During our behind-the-scenes access to The Museum at FIT’s Study Collection, Cassidy will take you on a journey through fashion history as we examine garments and accessories up close and personal! We will view--and get to handle!--garments by many iconic designers featured on the podcast, study their cut and construction and learn about their (sometimes) hidden histories.

For years, you have heard April talk about her more than a decade of work as a curator for FIT’s Special Collections. During your visit, she will share her deep knowledge of the ephemera of fashion, as she leads you on a singular hands-on experience viewing and handling rare and precious books, original designer sketches and even fashion magazines dating back to the court of Marie Antoinette.

Lunch is on your own. Grab a quick slice of NY pizza and use your time to shop or relax in one of the many restaurants in the area before meeting back up with the group. 

Our time at FIT concludes with a private curator-led exhibition tour of Fashioning Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities which features nearly 200 garments and accessories from The Museum's permanent collection, many of which are on view for the first time.  Curated by Dr. Colleen Hill, past Dressed guest and MFIT's Senior Curator of Costume, Dr. Hill will walk us through her "inventive exhibition that provides the first in-depth exploration of the fascinating connections between cabinets of curiosities and fashion."  You will not want to miss this intimate introduction to this long-awaited exhibition which required years in its meticulous curation!

Morning: We begin our fashion history-filled day with a tour of New York City's legendary Garment District.  We will learn about the Garment District's vibrant history and open the doors to how the District operates today with private visits to the ateliers of M&S Schmalberg and Tom’s Sons International Pleating, both family-operated businesses that are two of the oldest of their kind in New York City--and the entire world.

M&S Schmalberg has been producing the highest quality fabric flowers since 1916 (including Carrie Bradshaw’s as featured on And Just Like That!) Fourth-generation family member Adam Brand will regale us with the history of his family business before taking us into the workshops to observe first-hand the flower-making process used in their atelier since the founding of the business more than a century ago. We will admire up-close their delicate floral creations, which have adorned wedding gowns, hats, furnishings and accessories since the early 1900s, and even be able to ‘Carrie’ home a souvenir.

Our morning continues with a talk and tour of Tom’s Sons International Pleating, another family owned business in operation since 1931. Fifth-generation pleater George Kalijian will give us an engaging history of the pleating industry in New York City and an intimate look at his family’s atelier demonstrating the methods of production that have kept their high-fashion, international clientele returning for decades. 

Afternoon: After lunch on your own, we will travel uptown to spend a fashionable afternoon at the New-York Historical Society where we will be greeted by past Dressed guest Cheyney McKnight, Manager of Living History for the New-York Historical Society, who will speak to us about the profession of Living Historian and the important role clothing plays in the work of historic interpreters, who breathe life into (fashion) history's past.

Following our visit with Cheyney McKnight, enjoy a docent led tour of New-York Historical Society's Tiffany Gallery, which puts on view one of the world's largest collections of Tiffany lamps--more than 100 examples-- as well as a private curator-led tour of the exhibition Real Clothes, Real Lives: 200 Years of What Women Wore, which offers a glimpse of the everyday wardrobes of " the 'real' women who have worked and dressed in America for two centuries." Led by the exhibition's co-curator and past Dressed guest, Keren Ben-Horin, "this groundbreaking exhibition examines the everyday clothing of ordinary women, from hard-worn house dresses to psychedelic micro minis and modern suits to fast-food workers’ uniforms."

Friday is completely dedicated to one of the most famous art and fashion institutions in the world: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Not one, but three exclusive tours await you this day as we are joined by two past Dressed guests for their expert insights on some of the most fashionable holdings of The Met.

Morning: We will start our day by tumbling into the splendor of ancient Egypt with Dr. Colleen Darnell, renowned Egyptologist, author, educator and media personality for a fascinating look into the dress history of one of history's most captivating civilizations. Spanning thousands of years and political dynasties, Dr. Darnell's tour is tailored exclusively for our Dressed audience.  

Picking up where Dr. Darnell leaves off, Dressed co-host April Calahan will take us further into some of The Met's hidden recesses in pursuit of some of the most fashionable artworks in history. Learn about the beauty rituals of the 18th & 19th century's elite as we explore historic cosmetic practices. Travel back in time to discover the fashionistas of the Renaissance who cemented the color black as fashion’s favorite color for centuries to come.  From the traditional sustainability practices inherent to Native American clothing to the Impressionist painter Edouard Manet’s taboo depictions of women in pants, this tour unravels the incredible stories of ten of The Met’s greatest masterpieces.

Afternoon: Following a leisurely lunch on your own, we will be treated a to special, behind-the-seams presentations at the Antonio Ratti Textile Center. Textiles literally weave the story of civilizations and the Antonio Ratti Textile Center houses one of the world’s largest textile collections with textiles dating back to 3000 B.C.E. Past Dressed guest, lacemaker and historian Elena Kanagy-Loux will guide us through a presentation of textile-based objects specially selected for us from the over 36,000 pieces in the Ratti Center’s collection. 

The cost for each day is $350 and includes all fees and admissions. Rooms/accommodations not included, although assistance in booking our recommended hotels (with special perks!) is available through our travel partners at Wander & Pour who can be reached at cheers@wanderandpour.com. Complete terms and conditions can be found here.