Todd Oldham and Michael Weiss in Conversation

Take a front seat for an engaging conversation about fashion, design, creativity, and experimentation at this talk featuring industry legends Todd Oldham and Michael Weiss.

A superstar of the 1990s fashion world who continues to innovate through collaborations with Target, The Hotel of South Beach, and American Modern Books, Oldham is the focus of our current exhibition All of Everything: Todd Oldham Fashion, a survey of his irreverent, exquisitely crafted, and deliriously embellished ensembles from 1988 to 1999. In his more than 30 years with fashion retailers Express and Limited Brands, Weiss served in a variety of executive roles, including chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Express. He continues to remain active in the arts as a trustee of the Columbus Symphony and enthusiastic patron of the Wex. The conversation is moderated by Wexner Center Director Sherri Geldin.

The galleries stay open until 9 pm so you can explore the exhibition after the event. All of Everything: Todd Oldham Fashion is on view through April 15, 2018.

TODD OLDHAM
Born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1961, Todd Oldham grew up wearing handmade clothes from his grandmother, who taught him to sew. Starting his career with a $100 loan from his parents to buy cotton jersey—which Oldham used to create pieces he sold to Neiman Marcus—Oldham eventually launched his first clothing line in 1989. By 1991, he was awarded the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent.

In addition to designing for his own line, Oldham has consulted for the house of Escada, worked with the fashion retailer Old Navy, designed furniture for La-Z-Boy, and taken on hotel design with The Hotel of South Beach. He’s written and edited more than 22 books, producing monographs on artists including John Waters, Wayne White, and Charley Harper. Current projects include the Hand Made Modern line of craft supplies in collaboration with Target, and Kid Made Modern, the children’s craft kit company Oldham cofounded with partner Tony Longoria, which has since expanded into children’s high-end clothing.

MICHAEL WEISS
Michael Weiss has spent the entirety of his working life in the business of fashion retailing, first in New York and since 1981 in Columbus, where he joined Limited Brands. Over the next 25 years, he served there in a variety of executive roles. In 2007 he became chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Express, from which he formally retired in 2015.

Weiss has taken great pleasure serving as a trustee and patron to various cultural organizations including the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Columbus College of Art & Design, and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. He and his wife, Arlene, have been longtime champions of the Wex and are founding members of the Wexner Center’s Donor Circles. Weiss has also served on community and corporate boards, including the American Red Cross of Columbus, United Way of Franklin County, and the Columbus Jewish Foundation as well as Collective Brands, PacSun, Chico’s, and Borders. Born in Brooklyn, Weiss studied English at Syracuse University.