THREADS OF LOS ANGELES by Ashley Walker, Celebrating the City's Cultural History at the Los Angeles Public Library

Threads if Los Angeles by Ashley Walker, Los Angeles Public Library.

When I was at the Los Angeles Central Public Library in February I encountered six striking fashion models on display at one of the escalator landings. Each model was dressed to reflect a particular neighborhood and time in the cultural history of the city. They are the work of fashion designer Ashley Walker, recipient of a 2025 Creator in Residence award, and are based on research in the LAPL archives. The models will be sent to branch libraries around the city. For more about the project and where you can see the models, and about the Creator in Residence program at LAPL, click HERE. 

This year the Los Angeles Public Library is celebrating its Centennial. One hundred years ago, on July 11th, 1926, the Central Library opened its doors. Ashley Walker's fashion models are just one of many exhibits you can see at the library in this centennial year.

The Rhythm of Rebellion
Theme: The Zoot Suit Riots and Fashion Resistance.

Blueprint of Elegance
Theme: Paul R. Williams Architecture.

When the City Sang
Theme: Jazz on Central Avenue.

South Central 1992
Theme: The 1992 Uprising.

Woven Journeys
Migration, Memory and Cultural Identity in Los Angeles.

From Soul to Soil
Theme: Los Angeles Flora and Environmental Identity.