SCAD Luxe unveils At the Designers’ Table: Iconic Evening Elegance exhibition for fall 2026

The Savannah College of Art and Design has opened its newest exhibition concept, At the Designers’ Table: Iconic Evening Elegance, at the SCAD LUXE luxury archive and research center in Savannah for the fall 2026 academic quarter, according to a press release shared by the university.

The exhibition establishes an intimate tablescape format to examine the craft, creative vision, and signature design codes of global luxury fashion houses. By displaying archival and contemporary items alongside one another, the installation creates a material dialogue between historic foundations and present-day brand interpretations within the luxury sector.

Heritage brands

The showcase features iconic pieces and rare objects from heritage brands including Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Christian Dior, Manolo Blahnik, and Christian Louboutin, alongside original design drawings from Schiaparelli. Established in 2025 across SCAD’s Savannah and Atlanta campuses, SCAD LUXE functions as a working classroom, dynamic exhibition space, and specialized research collection dedicated to the 360 billion dollar global luxury market.

The archive provides students across multiple creative disciplines direct access to curated couture garments, bespoke design objects, accessories, fine furnishings, and primary source historical materials.

The initiative highlights a growing trend among higher education institutions to integrate proprietary museum-grade archives directly into applied academic curricula. Kate Newell, Executive Dean of Academic Services at SCAD, noted in the release that access to the collection allows students across fashion, luxury and brand management, fibers, jewelry, industrial design, and illustration to trace house codes from a founder's original vision to modern iterations.

By providing direct physical analysis of luxury goods and cross-disciplinary study, the university aims to equip future industry professionals with actionable insights into heritage preservation, artisan collaboration, and brand equity management.