Talks
Barragán Lecture #5: Stanislaus von Moos
TALK (EN)
Thursday | 13 November 2025
6:30 pm, Vitra Schaudepot
Luis Barragán (1902–1988) is widely regarded as the most important Mexican architect of the twentieth century. Based on a minimalist approach to architecture and a delicate sense of space, colour, and landscape, he created a unique fusion of International Style and local traditions. The Barragán Lectures series invites distinguished international speakers to shed light on different facets of Barragán’s oeuvre and its lasting resonance.
The art historian Stanislaus von Moos is widely known for his incisive analyses of the built environment in all its historical, political, economic, and ideological complexity. Erudite and entertaining, inquisitive and passionate, his critiques of the material culture deepen our understanding of the world we live in. His work is widely appreciated by architects and art historians as well as design enthusiasts and a general readership.
Stanislaus von Moos’ lecture »Beginnings, Twilight and Critique of the International Style Office Building« explores the reasons for the extraordinary multimedia success of that building type between 1950 and 1975 and the echo it found in the work of Luis Barragán.
The event will be held in English.
Admission is free. Please register at events@design-museum.de
Design and Furniture in Sci-Fi Interiors
TALK (EN)
By Paula Benson
Thursday | 20 November 2025
6.30 pm, Vitra Schaudepot
From »Star Trek« to »2001: A Space Odyssey« and »Blade Runner«, many science-fiction films feature classic pieces of design that have influenced our idea of what the future will look like – and conversely, designers will often turn to science fiction to find inspiration for imaginary future interiors. The fascinating dialogue between science fiction and design is the subject of this year’s themed presentation in the Vitra Schaudepot entitled »Science Fiction Design: From the Space Age to the Metaverse«.
Paula Benson is the founder, editor, and creative director of the »Film and Furniture« website. Her talk will illuminate the mutual influence of on-screen worlds and design history, demonstrating how design migrates from the creative mind to the screen to the marketplace and into our homes.
A resource for insights, in-depth articles, and design creations, »Film and Furniture« provides a forum for fans and enthusiasts as well as professionals all around the world. Paula Benson collaborates with leading furniture brands, streaming platforms, and film productions.
The event will be held in English.
Admission is free. Please register at events@design-museum.de
From Salon to Runway: A History of Fashion Shows
TALK (EN)
By Caroline Evans
Thursday | 29 January 2026
6.30 pm, Vitra Schaudepot
As part of the array of events accompanying the exhibition »Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show«, renowned fashion historian Caroline Evans will talk about the history of the fashion show from around 1900 to the present day.
Fashion shows have become huge media spectacles. Above and beyond presenting clothes, they engage with the human form and debunk cultural myths – society events with a social message.
A leading expert in the field of fashion history, Caroline Evans is Professor Emerita at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. Her key works include »Women and Fashion« (1989), »Fashion at the Edge« (2003), »The Mechanical Smile« (2013), and »Time in Fashion« (2020). She has lectured at design schools and universities all around the world and has acted as a consultant for international museums ranging from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Museum of London to the MoMu Fashion Museum in Antwerp and the Palais Galliera in Paris. Her most recent articles have appeared in exhibition catalogues including »Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto« (2020), »Exploding Fashion« (2022), »Dirty Looks« (2025), and »Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show« (2025), the catalogue accompanying the current exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum.
The event will be held in English.
Admission is free. Please register at events@design-museum.de