© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY · WNPR
WPKT · WRLI-FM · WEDW-FM · Public Files Contact
ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The zipper: An invention overlooked yet essential

Zipper on a leather jacket.
by Jonathan Fife/Getty Images
/
Moment RF
.

We use zippers all the time, whether on clothes, shoes, bags, tents … the list goes on.

Zippers keep our belongings secure, they keep us warm, they help keep out the elements, and they make it easier to get dressed.

This hour: the zipper — its history and significance, its role in fashion … and why so many zippers say “YKK.”

GUESTS:

  • Robert Friedel: Professor emeritus of history at the University of Maryland and author of Zipper: An Exploration in Novelty, among other books
  • Emma McClendon: Fashion historian, curator, and author
  • Jim Reed: President of YKK Corporation of America

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting ctpublic.org/donate

Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.

Stay Connected
Lily is the senior producer for The Colin McEnroe Show. She first worked at Connecticut Public as an intern in 2014. She has previously worked for WBUR, KUNC and as a producer for the New England News Collaborative's weekly show Next. Lily can be reached at ltyson@ctpublic.org.
Related Content