Year Three Research

The third and final year of the Stutz Fellowship was dedicated to research outcomes. Lauren Sagadore continued as research fellow, and presented the research in three formats: In a historical paper, the creation of this website sharing research materials and an online exhibition, and the symposium Women in New York Fashion: 20th Century Retail Mavens (held November 21st, 2015).

The paper presented on this website had two initial objectives: To provide a historical overview of the Henri Bendel store until Stutz’s departure, and accounts for Stutz’s leadership and impact during her presidency. It is by no means exhaustive but provides a sound foundation on this topic. More importantly it provides departure points for avenues of further research on topics including retail design, boutique culture, window display, partnerships between retail and design and women in the business of fashion. Ultimately this research project reaffirmed the need for a more comprehensive study of New York Fashion through many lenses – design, retail and media. 

While the fellowship project has drawn to a close, continued support from the Geraldine Stutz Trust is encouraging further projects at Parsons. These include a comprehensive biography of Geraldine Stutz, presenting the story of the woman outside the store, drawing on the rich material gathered in oral history accounts. Other ideas include a lecture series in Stutz’s name, which would bring women in the business of fashion to speak, are being organized. We also look to share our research outcomes more broadly through presentations and published works. Please stay tuned for future updates.