MillTalk:The Secret History of Suits-How Industry Fashioned Modern Menswear

The classic men’s dark tailored suit and crisp white shirt may look plain, but they are actually triumphs of 19th-century engineering
About this Event

Presented by Chloe Chapin
The classic men’s dark tailored suit and crisp white shirt may look plain, but they are actually triumphs of 19th-century engineering. In this talk, dress historian Chloe Chapin takes us “behind the seams” to explore the mechanical, technological, and chemical innovations that made suits possible.

From the river-powered machines of New England's textile mills to the caustic, labor-intensive chemistry of early bleacheries, we will uncover the hidden industrial technologies required to produce the simple uniform that clothed the nation.

Drawing from her 2026 book, Suitable: The Sartorial Revolution and the Fashioning of Modern Men, Chapin reveals how the Industrial Revolution fashioned modern men.

is a costume designer, artist, and fashion historian. She has a PhD in American Studies from Harvard University and a master’s degree from FIT and the Yale School of Drama. A former Broadway costumer, Chapin brought her designer’s eye to the historical archives to better understand both the history of men's suits and their impact on the modern world. Her 2026 book, Suitable: The Sartorial Revolution and the Fashioning of Modern Men, investigates the materiality, manufacture, and meaning behind men’s suits between the American Revolution and the Civil War.

She works at Harvard University and lives in Cambridge, MA. She and her dog Tiny walk along the Charles River every morning.