I had so much fun writing this profile on Harold Koda, the curator in charge of the Costume Institute at the MET, for Departures.
A protege of Diana Vreeland (pictured above in Venice, because I love the picture), and a devoted fan of Downton Abbey—he swears, for the costumes, not for the soap opera drama—Harold Koda has been at the MET, on and off, since the 1970s.
He first came to New York from Hawaii, to get his PhD in Oceanic art, but quickly became intoxicated by the fashion world embodied by Studio 54. At the time, he lived on Staten Island, where life was cheap, and he could see Manhattan from his window. After getting an internship at the museum, he was offered a job, and although he’s tried, hasn’t been able to leave since.
After our interview, in the well-appointed patrons lounge, on a cold Friday afternoon, I walked down Fifth Avenue to Grand Central, beaming from ear to ear. I was lucky to have met him.
If you get a chance, go see his most recent exhibition, “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations,” now open at the MET.
