BKLYN Designs: Adorned and Archived: Women in GLAM
One year ago, a conversation began.
At the intersection of Black fashion history and cultural institutions, particularly those in GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) emerged a community of thinkers, creators, designers, archivists, historians and the like. Asking a simple, yet powerful question: Who is preserving Black fashion history, and how?
Today? The conversation continues, but this time centering the women who have always been at its heart. To commemorate the one-year anniversary of BKLYN Designs, “Adorned and Archived: Women in GLAM” is a celebration of the extraordinary women working at the junction of Black fashion, cultural preservation and institutional change.
From the curator protecting garments in temperature-controlled archives to the journalist making fashion history accessible; the librarian building community collections down to the museum educator developing programming for underprivileged communities. These women not only engage in the work of preservation, they also ensure that our history survives to reach the people who need it the most.
Join us for an evening of celebration, celebration and community as we reflect on the one year of the Library for Arts & Culture’s premiere fashion conversation. Exploring how GLAM institutions preserve, amplify and center Black fashion narratives. Celebrating the women who continuously thread this work together across galleries, libraries, archives, and museums.
Participants
Amber Lauren is a journalist, multi-hyphenate, and creator of the “Black Fashion History in 90 seconds” series, relaunched in 2025. A Brooklyn native of Jamaican descent, her words have earned an award-winning Copywriter title with The ONE School for Creativity.
As an interviewer, she has worked with platforms like Curlfest, Black Girls in Media, and The Layout. With over a decade of media experience under her belt, Amber seeks to amplify stories of art, fashion, culture and media across the African diaspora.
For more information, visit www.ambersmodernlife.com and follow at @ambersmodernlife
Tianni Graham
Principal Archivist | Thom Browne
Founding Archivist, Chief Curator | archivealive
Tianni Janae Graham is an archivist, curator, fashion historian, and research consultant who is Founder and Chief Curator of archivealive, a full-scale archival consulting firm and digital repository that provides context to rare archival content with a focus on fashion, Hip-Hop culture, Black History and their intersections.
Additionally, she is the Principal Archivist at Thom Browne where she manages, documents, preserves, and provides access to archival runway collections, Thom’s personal collection, special collections, custom commissions, andcollaborations.
Combining a BBA in Fashion Merchandising, an extensive career in fashion, and a love of history, she’s gained previous archival experience at Estée Lauder, the Costume Institute Library at The Met, and LIM College.
Follow at @murdamamitianni