Curator’s Talk: When Fashion Meets Forensics

Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)
Location: Bata Shoe Museum
Tickets: $15 General, $10 Senior (65+) and Students (with ID), $10 Friends of the BSM

Join Alison Matthews David, co-curator of the critically acclaimed Exhibit A: Investigating Crime and Footwear, for a captivating journey into the intriguing intersection of fashion and forensic science.

As Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, understood, clothing tells a story—about who we are, where we’ve been, and what we’ve done. From stains, fibers, and footprints to modern DNA analysis, detectives have long relied on fashion as key evidence to solve mysteries.

This talk delves into the rise of early forensic investigation through the lens of fashion, featuring real historical cases where clothing played a pivotal role. Learn about the Paris Morgue’s missing persons, the chilling tale of a murderous Parisian tailor, and a California train heist unraveled by the clue of a left-handed lumberjack.

With a fascinating blend of crime, history, and fashion, Alison Matthews David will unravel the complex and often tangled “fabric of crime” in this enthralling presentation.

Please check in with Visitor Services upon arrival. Contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions.
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Agenda
6:30 pm – Doors Open
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Lecture
8:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Galleries Open
9:00 pm – Doors Close

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Dr. Alison Matthews David (she/her) is Professor in the Fashion Program in the School of Fashion, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). She has a PhD in Art History from Stanford University and has published extensively on nineteenth and early twentieth century dress and material culture. She is co-founding editor of the open access, multi-media journal Fashion Studies with Dr. Ben Barry. Her most recent research project, Fashion Victims, looked at how clothing physically harmed the health of its makers and wearers. It took the form of a book (2015) and co-curated exhibition (2014-18), as well as a co-authored book for young adults entitled Killer Style (2019). She is Principal Investigator of the federally funded project, The Fabric of Crime: Forensic Histories of Fashion, which investigates the histories of fashion and forensic investigation. Exhibit A: Investigating Crime and Footwear, the exhibition she co-curated with Elizabeth Semmelhack at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, is on from 2024-Fall 2025.