On Wednesday, May 29, the AIANY Women in Architecture committee hosted The Intersection of Fashion and Architecture: Celebrating Yeohlee Teng at FXCollaborative in Brooklyn. Acclaimed women architects of New York City showcased exemplary garments from Yeohlee’s collection and participated in a Q&A panel to discuss the intertwining nature of the architectural and fashion concepts and the analogous approach to these two essential crafts. The architects on the panel included Susan Chin, FAIA, Principal, DesignConnects; Hana Kassem, FAIA, Principal, KPF; Sylvia Smith, FAIA, Partner Emerita, FXCollaborative; Billie Tsien, AIA, Founder and Partner, Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects; Claire Weisz, FAIA, Principal-in-Charge, WXY; and Mary Margaret Jones, FASLA, FAAR, RLA, President & CEO, Hargreaves Jones. The conversation was moderated by Heidi Schmitt, AIA, project architect from Gensler

The event commenced with the architects showcasing selected outfits designed by Yeohlee Teng, and then the Q&A panel began. Some of the topics introduced by Heidi Schmitt included emotions related to Yeohlee’s designs, structure of the garments compared to framework of architecture, choice of fabrics and curiosity for materials, and dedication to sustainability stemming from Yeohlee’s personal background. Panelists described Yeohlee’s clothing as timeless, asymmetrical, functional, and flowing, like a membrane that allows movement and mediates between the person and the world. Yeohlee mentioned that in her professional pursuits, she is guided by the desire to make people feel “comfortable and confident” as well as “happy”, and for the clothing to last a long time. Yeohlee Teng shared that she grew up on an island where resources were limited and has always had the mindset of eliminating waste. As a remark on the importance of sustainability, Claire Weisz added that “Waste is a design problem, because if things are designed right, there is no waste.”

Overall, the runway show and the conversation left the audience feeling exhilarated and inspired to learn more about Yeohlee’s work and implement her philosophy in their own creative pursuits.

We would like to thank FXCollaborative for hosting the event in their gallery and Thornton Tomasetti and Women@TT for their kind sponsorship in making our event a success. A special thanks to all the volunteers who helped with check-in, set-up, and clean-up, and to all the attendees who sold out the event!