Interactive seminar scheduled on fashion in popular culture

The role of fashion in culture will be explored in an interactive seminar at Pellissippi State Technical Community College Oct. 24.

Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, will discuss “Fashion Culture: The Changing Role of Dress in Society.” The 60-minute seminar will be broadcast to the Goins Building Auditorium on the Pellissippi Campus in West Knoxville at 6:30 p.m.

Steele is founding editor of Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body and Culture and also has written several books, including “Women of Fashion: 20th Century Style” and “The Corset: A Cultural History.”

Two members of Pellissippi faculty, Dr. Elaine Oswald of the English Department and Leigh Anne Touzeau, Director of Admissions and Records, will lead a discussion and share their insights after the lecture.

The session is the second in a five-part series of Honors Satellite Seminars on “Popular Culture: Shaping and Reflecting Who We Are” being presented at Pellissippi State in October, November and December.

The series, which is open to the public at no charge, is sponsored by the Pellissippi State chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and the Student Life and Recreation Office. The program has been produced by Phi Theta Kappa and the National Collegiate Honors Council.

Other sessions are Nov. 7, Nov. 21 and Dec. 5.

For additional information, contact Karen Quammen at (865) 387-3712 or xanthochroid@excite.com.