Hannah Carlson

Hannah Carlson is a Senior Lecturer in Apparel Design and Theory and History of Art and Design at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). She holds a BA from Wesleyan University, MA from Fashion Institute of Technology, and PhD in Material Culture from Boston University (2009). Her research focuses on the history of dress, material culture, and cultural symbolism in clothing artifacts.

Education:

• BA, Wesleyan University
• MA, Fashion Institute of Technology
• PhD, Material Culture, Boston University

Research interests include the socio-cultural significance of pockets, textile conservation, and historical dress analysis. Her book Pockets: An Intimate History (2023) explores cultural narratives around personal storage objects. Key articles examine James Fenimore Cooper's literary artifacts and postures of leisure in material culture.

Her work has been supported by grants from the Costume Society of America and institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. Awards include the Uncommon Voice Prize (Commonplace Journal) and a Stella Blum Research Grant. She served as Faculty Fellow in Costumes and Textiles at the RISD Museum (2012–2014).