Articles of Interest

In the wake of World War II, the government of France commissioned its most prominent designers to create a collection of miniature fashion dolls. It might seem like an odd thing to fund, but the fantasy of high fashion inspired hope in postwar Paris. These dolls also forever changed the curator who discovered them almost 40 years later, in a strange museum perched on a cliff in rural Washington state. Articles of Interest is a limited-run podcast series about fashion, housed inside the design and architecture podcast 99% Invisible. Launched in 2018 by Avery Trufelman, the show encourages people to rethink the way we look at what we wear and what it says about us. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

"Articles of Interest" theme song by Sasami Ashworth Sasami’s new album is out now. Get it! Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

There is this myth that it’s frivolous or unproductive to care about how you look. Clothing and fashion get trivialized a lot. But think about who get associated with clothing and fashion: young people, women, queers and people of color — groups of people who historically haven’t had a voice have expressed themselves on their bodies, through their style, their hair, their tattoos, their piercings and what they wear. Articles of Interest is a show about what we wear, created by Avery Trufelman; a six-part series within* 99% Invisible*, looking at clothing. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Learn about the history and wear of blue jeans, the significance of indigo as a cash crop, the environmental impact of denim production, and strategies to minimize the footprint through repair and continued use.

Explore the cultural significance and fashion trends of Hawaiian shirts. Learn about the process of making authentic high-quality aloha shirts and the storytelling significance of patterns. Discover the technological advancements and political tensions in Hawaii during the late 19th century. Uncover the story of Lili O'Kalani and her quilt while under house arrest. Delve into the history and influence of Japanese immigrants in Hawaiian shirt production. Witness the rise of synthetic fibers and the desire for comfortable clothing.

The podcast discusses the lack of functional pockets in women's clothing, and explores the historical context and significance of pockets in terms of preparedness, mobility, and confidence. It examines the evolution of pockets in fashion, from separate garments to reticules, and raises questions about the gendered nature of clothes and the importance of pockets in our daily lives.

Lumberjacks wore plaid. Punks wore plaid mini skirts. The Beach Boys used to be called the Pendletones, and they wore plaid with their surfboards. Lots of different groups have adopted the pattern over the course of the 20th century, but if we want to explore how this pattern proliferated, we’ve got to go to Scotland. Articles of Interest is a show about what we wear, created by Avery Trufelman; a six-part series from 99% Invisible, looking at clothing. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Clothes are records of the bodies we’ve lived in. Think of the old sweater that you used to have that’s just not your style anymore, or the jeans that just aren’t your size anymore. We are like snakes who shed our skins and grow new ones as we age. And it all starts in the kids’ department. Articles of Interest is a show about what we wear, created by Avery Trufelman; a six-part series within 99% Invisible, looking at clothing.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices