The color black has many meanings, often at odds with one another. It’s the color which Sicilian women used to wear for years in sign of mourning, but it’s also synonymous with elegance. It’s a symbol of power and modesty. You should always have something black hanging in your wardrobe, and it’s also worn by the fashion makers themselves.
In this episode Isabella Rossellini guides us on our way to discover one of the iconic colors of Dolce&Gabbana, weaving together ancient stories and traditions. With contributions from the Academy Award winning director Giuseppe Tornatore, from the English journalist Suzy Menkes, and the American historian Carmela Spinelli.

The tank top is a simple garment, an everyday one, and it is also molto italiano. This popular object has been reworked and transformed by the world of film. Guido Bonsaver, professor at the University of Oxford, and Rebecca Bauman, associate professor at the Fashion Institute of ... Show More

It’s reductive to consider Sicilian carts as mere vehicles. These carts are so rich in color and decorations that, according to Marianna Gatto of the Italian American Museum in Los Angeles, they’re best described as “walking books”. For the painter from Palermo, Gianfranco Fiore ... Show More

In fashion as in cinema, the flat cap has now become one of the symbols of Sicily. Yet, this cap isn’t even originally Italian - it’s British instead. Guido Bonsaver, professor at Oxford, and Rebecca Bauman, associate professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, ... Show More

"His clothes seemed to melt into each other with the perfection of their cut and the quiet harmony of their colour. Without a single point of emphasis, everything was distinguished" The suit has long served as the official attire of men in Britain, Europe and the Western World. T ... Show More

“I didn’t like my life, so I created my life,” the French fashion designer, Coco Chanel declared. And what a life it was: from her humble beginnings in an orphanage, Chanel blazed a trail as a fiercely independent woman, rising to become the toast of French high society. She mixe ... Show More

From puffy trousers to pantsuits and everything in between, law professor and author Richard Thompson Ford takes us on a fascinating tour through the history of fashion and the evolution of dress codes that still influence style today, tracing the real consequences people face fo ... Show More

<p>Of the many different items of clothing a woman will wear throughout her life, there is perhaps none loaded with so much significance as her wedding dress, and finding the perfect one can be an enormous source of stress. Kim Chakanetsa meets two wedding designers who help wome ... Show More

Paul Costelloe is a fashion designer who recently celebrated his 36th year showing at London Fashion Week, making him the event’s longest-standing designer.Paul was born in Dublin where his father ran a successful company making raincoats. He studied at the Grafton Academy of Fas ... Show More

<p>Tweed suits, penny loafers: who said philosophers were out of touch? In episode 81 of Overthink, Ellie and David talk everything from Shein to Ferragamo, from high school lunchbox trends to Machiavelli’s nightgowns. As they chart the history of clothing, and the shift from fun ... Show More

The designs of Dolores Gonzales (1907 - 1994) became a fashion craze throughout the 1950s and were even worn by two First Ladies. Dolores was dubbed “The Dior of the Desert” by the LA Times and her work helped define Tucson as a fashion city. Her claim to fame is popularizing the ... Show More

Clothes designers from Trinidad and Greece get together with Kim Chakanetsa, to talk about the killer combination of creativity and business sense you need to make it in the competitive world of fashion.Anya Ayoung Chee is from the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Always ... Show More

Nothing gets between a woman and her fashion! Dr. Elizabeth Block joins us for part two of our episode on Gilded Age fashion in a discussion on fashionable smuggling, thievery, and the costumes of Gilded Age Season 2! Get your hands on a copy of Dr. Block's book Dressing Up: The ... Show More

Ep.2: Black