Over the past decade, no topic has been off-limits as Fern Mallis conducted in-depth interviews with fashion’s most legendary at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan. Video archives from “Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis” are now available on the 92Y YouTube channel.
Mallis, the creator of New York Fashion Week, is an industry leader. “Fashion Icons: The Archive” is a virtual space to relive some of the conversations she’s had with designers such as Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Betsey Johnson, Polly Mellen, and the list goes on.
“I had come to a crossroads in my career,” said Mallis on why she started the Icons series, in an intro video for The Archive. “I had organized New York Fashion Week in the Bryant Park Tents and ran those shows for many years. First with the CFDA and then IMG Fashion. In 2010 when Fashion Week left Bryant Park, I decided it was also my time to move on. What’s next? Can I top this last job? After 20 years of doing something that I loved, how do I reinvent myself? I realized that I had to invent my own opportunity to move forward.”
When creating the Fashion Icons platform as a way to tell the stories of the designers, she said, “I wanted to learn from them and hear the untold stories of the true grit it took to achieve their career highs, the perseverance they needed to weather career lows, and the innovative thinking that brought them to their second and sometimes even third acts.”
Mallis’s conversations are profound, provocative, heartfelt, and humorous. They cover everything from childhood inspirations to the nitty-gritty of the industry, and much more.
“My aha moment came when I realized these stories of struggles and triumphs are the hallmark of most iconic fashion careers,” she continued.
This month the channel highlights conversations with designers who “give a damn” including Christian Siriano for believing in size inclusivity and diversity, Eileen Fisher for sustainability, and Bethann Hardison for diversity and representation. Videos will be available through the end of March and more will be added periodically.
There’s also “The Edit,” a series of digital shorts available for viewing, including “Working with Ralph.” Designers such as Vera Wang, Thom Browne, and John Varvatos talk about their experiences at what’s referred to as “Polo University” — getting their start working for Ralph Lauren.
