Couturier John Anthony Is First Visiting Artist in FIT’s New Gallery

Couturier John AnthonyOn October 16 and 18, two-time Coty Award–winner John Anthony ’57 shared his knowledge and business acumen with students in an intimate master class. Anthony is the first participant in the School of Art and Design’s new artist-in-residence program, in which a noted artist or designer teaches students in the glass-enclosed studio on the second floor of the new Pomerantz Center exhibition space.

Anthony, who has dressed numerous first ladies and celebrities over the past half-century, talked about the importance of editing a collection (“You can’t sit and watch 45 evening gowns on the runway—after a while, you’ll go colorblind”), the magic of jersey (“It’s my favorite fabric in the whole world—it looks good on everyone”), and the importance of a beautiful studio (“You can’t sell a gown in a Dunkin’ Donuts”). He rose to prominence after his first collection was stolen on the way to the showroom; scrambling to source new fabrics to remake the dresses, he ended up with an all-black collection that wowed the critics and won him his first Coty. He has been in demand ever since.

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