Materials for the Arts Presents 'AIRPLANE,' a Fashion Show by MFTA Designer-in-Residence Victor Pearlman on January 22, 2026

For Immediate Release: January 13, 2026

Contact: [email protected] - (929) 313-7624

MATERIALS FOR THE ARTS PRESENTS "AIRPLANE," A FASHION SHOW BY MFTA DESIGNER-IN-RESIDENCE VICTOR PEARLMAN

The Showcase Takes Place on Thursday, January 22, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM and Marks the Culmination of Pearlman's Residency at Materials for the Arts

MFTA Designer-in-Residence Victor Perlman in the MFTA Designer-in-Residence studio. Courtesy of MFTA.

Photos of Victor Pearlman and his residency at MFTA are available here .

Queens, NY -Materials for the Arts (MFTA) is pleased to present MFTA Designer-in-Residence Victor Pearlman's "AIRPLANE," the first-ever live fashion show to take place in the MFTA warehouse. Inspired by his longtime fascination with airports and planes and his recent travels, Pearlman's collection encapsulates the liminal experience of air travel shaped by bureaucratic transit systems, safety devices, uniformity, efficiency, and conveyor-belt repetition. As MFTA's Designer-in-Residence, Pearlman has had unlimited access to the donated supplies in MFTA's 35,000-square-foot reuse facility and free studio space free space, where he has developed the work featured in "AIRPLANE" throughout his tenure.

"Back in 2020, Victor was deconstructing old sofas off the street and transforming their upholstery into one-of-a-kind designs. Now, he's brought that scrappy spirit into his residency at MFTA where his creativity knows no bounds," shared MFTA Executive Director Tara Sansone. "His collection will take us on a journey through the warehouse, through his artistry, and the endless possibilities for innovation available through NYC's circular economy."

"My time at Materials for the Arts has had a profound impact on both my work and my process. Because of this residency, my work has grown, deepened, and widened in ways I didn't expect - and I have as well. Through travel, the artists I've met, the workshops I've led, and the students I've worked with, the residency has shaped me not only as a designer, but as a person," shared Designer-in-Residence Victor Pearlman.

During his residency, Pearlman utilized antique sewing techniques and natural dye processes as he studied the parallel histories of aviation, tailoring, and fashion innovation. In developing his collection, Pearlman emulated the changing needs of movement, safety, and efficiency found in aerospace engineering and fashion technology to create garments focused on reuse, material longevity, and process-driven design with witty innovations. The airline industry - particularly the materials it uses and the rich history of airline uniform design- and flight patterns continue to shape Pearlman's process with pattern-making and clothing, particularly garments designed for function and uniform.

Moto jacket by Victor Pearlman made with Southwest Airlines leather. Courtesy of MFTA.

Pearlman developed many pieces of his line by reclaiming airline dress shirts and materials from aircraft interiors, including repurposed leather donated to MFTA by Southwest Airlines. The leather donation comes from a partnership with the airline's Repurpose with Purpose program, an initiative kickstarted in 2014 after Southwest updated its seat design. Through the program, Southwest Airlines has donated more than $2 million and 1.4 million pounds of leather to provide employment, skills training, and other social benefits for communities. Utilizing the airline's striking blue leather, Pearlman -in a cheek-in-tongue fashion- chose to center the fabric's stitching where a seatbelt would have once slid through, highlighting the material's former utility in a moto jacket created for his collection.

While reimagining the future of airline uniforms, Pearlman has balanced a forward-looking aesthetic with a reverence for traditional tailoring techniques. "AIRPLANE" also includes hand-dyed natural fibers such as cotton dyed with marigolds, inspired by his recent travels to Thailand where the flower is found in abundance. Additionally, Pearlman has intentionally combined knits and woven materials to prioritize the garments' function and comfort. The result: a capsule of clothing that serves as a personal travelogue while also offering a blend of what was and what could be in a reimagining of aviation fashion technology.

Launched in 2023, MFTA's Designer-in-Residence program provides designers with a stipend, free studio space, and access to endless supplies at MFTA's warehouse. This new program joins the long-running MFTA Artist-in-Residence program as one of the ways that MFTA supports, fosters, and provides a platform for creators working at the intersection of art and reuse. While former MFTA Designers-in-Residence have presented their collections as exhibitions or at fashion shows elsewhere, Victor Pearlman is the first Designer-in-Residence to hold a live runway fashion show in the MFTA warehouse.

Pearlman is also the first MFTA Designer-in-Residence to create his work in MFTA's newly renovated designer space, dedicated to supporting the MFTA Designer-in-Residence, Young Designers, and Repair programs. In alignment with MFTA's mission, the renowned firm CO Adaptive designed and built the new studio space in MFTA's warehouse made entirely from reused, donated, and salvaged materials, sourced mostly from MFTA. For the first time, the new studio space unifies all of MFTA's pioneering residency programs in one space.

Pearlman's residency will conclude with public programming featuring a fashion show on Thursday, January 22, 2026 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. This event is a part of MFTA's free Third Thursday programming, creating pathways for New Yorkers to access art and creative reuse in the city.

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About Victor Pearlman

Victor Pearlman is a New York-based menswear designer, pattern maker, and graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology's Menswear program. He transforms reclaimed and unconventional materials -ranging from salvaged upholstery to aerospace textiles- into one-of-a-kind garments whose vast histories reframe our perception of the everyday.

His work has appeared in Fashion Week Brooklyn, the Gucci Horsebit Loafer 70th Anniversary showcase in Milan, and in projects for clients such as Doja Cat, Willy Chavarria, Madonna, and Reggie Bullock. Currently, Pearlman designs at By Alexander, a concept store located in SoHo, NY.

About Materials for the Arts (MFTA)

A program of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, with support from the Department of Education and Friends of Materials for the Arts, MFTA is NYC's largest reuse center supporting nonprofits with arts programming, public schools, and City agencies. MFTA collects millions of pounds of supplies each year which it provides, free of charge, to its member organizations. In addition to providing materials, MFTA has an Artist-in-Residence program and holds public events every third Thursday of the month which include gallery openings and community workshops. Learn more at www.nyc.gov/mfta.