Couture Collective

Couture Collective

Fashion, in good company

Couture Collective celebrates fashion as an art form and one of the most personal ways we express who we are. Members support fashion programming at Memphis Art Museum and come together to explore where clothing and art meet.

Join Couture

Upcoming Events

Presented by Hemline Theory

Celebrating fashion as an art form

Fashion can carry the weight of a historical moment, a personal memory, or the expression of self. It can show astonishing craft or offer the simple pleasure of a great look.

Couture Collective brings together people who want to look closer at this art form. Members have opportunities to meet industry professionals and artists, hear how an idea became something to wear, and find themselves among people who will happily keep talking about the line of a sleeve or the choice of a material.

See, discuss, and experience

Art & Aperitifs
A guided conversation that slows down to spend time with an artist, exhibition, or a single work of art.
Visit with Artists
An informal, intimate space to engage with creators, offering unique insights into their artistic process and, occasionally, exclusive studio tours.
Private Exhibition Tours
A privately-led exhibition tour, sometimes featuring special guests, followed by drinks and conversation.
Annual Fashion Events
From Memphis Art & Fashion Week to Come As Thou Art, Couture Collective members gather for the museum’s signature fashion programs and exclusive events throughout the year.

Fashion at Memphis Art Museum

Clothing as creative practice

Member contributions support exhibitions and programs that consider fashion through the same close attention given to painting, sculpture, and design. These experiences make room for the construction of a garment, the thinking behind it, and the histories it carries.

See and be seen

The Collective brings working designers and fashion lovers into the museum together. Members get a closer look at the fashion being made in Memphis, while themed events throughout the year offer new ways to express their own style.

Membership levels

All Couture Collective members receive Art Club benefits and access to core Collective programming. Higher levels include experiences across all four museum Collectives and more personal access to artists, curators, and museum leadership.

Annual commitments are shown below. Monthly giving is available.

Ambassador | $250 annually Leadership | $1,500 annually Artist Circle | $5,000 annually

Curator’s Circle | $10,000 annually Director’s Circle | $25,000 annually

Ambassador | $250 annually

Take part in the Couture Collective community while supporting acquisitions and programs centered on fashion.

Benefits include:

Art Club benefits and program discounts
Included admission to Art & Aperitifs, Happy Hours with Artists, Private Exhibition Tours, and more
Invitations to select openings at local galleries

Leadership | $1,500 annually

Deepen your support and take part in experiences offered across the museum’s Collective communities.

Includes all Ambassador benefits, plus:

Included admission to signature events presented by all four museum Collectives
Invitations to the annual welcome gatherings for all four Collectives
Invitations to select Global Council events

Ambassador | $250 annually Artist Circle | $5,000 annually

Artist Circle | $5,000 annually

Spend time with artists in the places where their work is created and see more of the museum’s work behind the scenes.

Includes all Leadership benefits, plus:

Invitations to intimate artist studio visits, generally limited to three to five guests
Behind-the-scenes experiences such as conversations with a curator in collection storage or opportunities to observe an exhibition installation

Leadership | $1,500 annually Curator’s Circle | $10,000 annually

Curator’s Circle | $10,000 annually

Explore exhibitions and collections alongside the people who research, interpret, and care for them.

Includes all Artist Circle benefits, plus:

Invitations to special exhibition tours and previews in other cities
A museum-hosted dinner during select group trips

Members arrange their own transportation and lodging for travel experiences.

Artist Circle | $5,000 annually Director’s Circle | $25,000 annually

Director’s Circle | $25,000 annually

Build a closer relationship with Memphis Art Museum and the people leading its work.

Includes all Curator’s Circle benefits, plus:

Invitation to a special dinner with museum leadership, with opportunities to shape future programming

Curator’s Circle | $10,000 annually

Leadership Members

Lisa A. Brumleve-Pratt
Lauren Draffin
Patrice Hentz
Lucia Heros
Patrica Kennedy

Anntonia Magruder
Casey O’Rourke
Leah Provo
Jason Wexler

Memphis Art & Fashion Week

Memphis Art & Fashion Week is an annual celebration of the fashion taking center stage in Memphis and beyond. Headlined by international designers, the week brings designers and audiences together through runway presentations and related programs. Couture Collective support helps the museum create space for fashion to be seen on its own terms—and for the people making it to meet the people paying attention.

Memphis.Fashion