"Valerie Fahnestock Steele" (born 1955) is a fashion historian, curator, and director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York. She was appointed director of the museum in 2003.

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You spent a bundle. Nobody wants to look like a fashion victim.

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You don't have to be a size 2 or have a wonderful little waist, which helps you get over the despair of shopping.

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[This is a prevailing thought about status style: wearing a single designer or a bunch of designer duds head to toe looks dated, while toting a Gucci purse while wearing a casual outfit sends another message:] You spent a bundle, ... Nobody wants to look like a fashion victim.

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Fashion isn't necessarily about concept but about craftsmanship. You need the people to make the best ribbon, the best lace, the best hats. This is essential to keeping French fashion prestigious and creative.

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Fashion is a part of the world and part of history. It's not a meaningless swirl of meaningless clothes. They (clothes) reflect the times.

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Everyone is getting into it because there's so much money to be made, ... Handbags: A Lexicon of Style.

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I expect the closest she got was something like Venice.

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They are purely a symbol of rugged individualism. They're a symbol of power but instead of being military, you are free to ride off into the sunset.

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