# Event Details - **Event Name**: Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele - **Event Start and End Date**: Sat, 18 Jul, 2026 at 04:00 pm – Sat, 18 Jul, 2026 at 07:00 pm - **Event Description**: Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and the UnconsciousAbout this EventFashion is often dismissed as superficial. But what we wear reflects powerful and often unconscious ideas about who we think we are and who we want to be.In this Spark Salon, fashion historian and author Dr. Valerie Steele explores what clothing can tell us about our dreams and desires, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. Drawing from her book Dress, Dreams, and Desire: A History of Fashion and Psychoanalysis, she examines why fashion carries such powerful emotional and cultural significance, and why we don’t always know why we dress the way we do. Why do certain clothes feel like us while others do not? What role do fantasy, desire, memory, and aspiration play in the way we present ourselves to the world? How much of our style is conscious choice, and how much is shaped by culture, experience, and unconscious beliefs? And how much do we really understand about the messages we communicate and the assumptions we make about others through what we wear?Looking beyond trends and stereotypes, Dr. Steele invites us to consider fashion as a lens through which we construct a sense of ourselves, express desire, seek belonging, and make meaning. In doing so, she reveals how clothing shapes not only how others see us but how we see ourselves.4:00 p.m.: Doors open, reception5:00 p.m.: Program begins promptly, doors close no late admittance6:00 p.m.: Book signing and receptionPrior to the event you will receive an email from Unlikely Collaborators’ building registration system (coming from: no-reply@envoy.com) to confirm your attendance and to offer pre-check in for the event. During the in-person check in process each attendee will be required to:Present a government-issued IDTake a photo for the building registration systemReview and sign a general liability waiver and a house rules agreement (can be completed during pre-check in)Wear an event badge that displays your first nameNo exceptions.Attendance is complimentary, full and completed registration is required. Admission is granted on a first come, first served basis until capacity is reached. Doors open at 4:00pm and close promptly at 5:00pm. Late entry is not permitted as the event is being filmed and livestreamed.Attendance is limited to individuals aged 16 and older.No pets allowed (except for service animals), no outside food or beverages allowed.Steele is the author of Dress, Dreams, and Desire: A History of Fashion and Psychoanalysis. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/0e3926f0-82a4-11f1-957f-f1f06462340d-rimg-w568-h740-dce82c30-gmir.jpg - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/santa-monica/unlikely-collaborators-spark-salon-with-dr-valerie-steele/100001991522079149 - **Event Categories**: art, literary-art, fine-arts - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Age Limit: 13+ - door_time: 2026-07-18T23:00:00Z - Duration: 3 hours - Location: 1520 2nd St - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Santa Monica - **state**: CA - **country**: United States - **location**: 1520 2nd St - **lat**: 34.0129862 - **long**: -118.4952006 - **full address**: 1520 2nd St, 1520 2nd Street, Santa Monica, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/d3f127bf8d429c99563be289bff1b49d35ea046a317cfc487a10aa03cb848d93-rimg-w1200-h600-dcd7d6c7-gmir.jpg?v=1782633530 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele being held? - **A:** Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele takes place on Sat, 18 Jul, 2026 at 04:00 pm to Sat, 18 Jul, 2026 at 07:00 pm at 1520 2nd St, 1520 2nd Street, Santa Monica, United States. - **Q**: Is there an age restriction for Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele? - **A:** Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele is strictly for guests aged 13 and above. Valid government-issued photo ID is required for entry. Guests under 13 will not be admitted. The event will be presented in English. - **Q**: Who is organizing Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele? - **A:** Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele is organized by Unlikely Collaborators. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele is ideal for art lovers, collectors, creatives, and anyone inspired by visual arts, installations, and exhibitions. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Santa Monica, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon with Dr. Valerie Steele", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/d3f127bf8d429c99563be289bff1b49d35ea046a317cfc487a10aa03cb848d93-rimg-w1200-h600-dcd7d6c7-gmir.jpg?v=1782633530", "startDate": "2026-07-18", "endDate": "2026-07-18", "url": "https://allevents.in/santa-monica/unlikely-collaborators-spark-salon-with-dr-valerie-steele/100001991522079149", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "1520 2nd St", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "1520 2nd Street", "postalCode": "90401", "addressLocality": "Santa Monica", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "34.0129862", "longitude": "-118.4952006" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and the Unconscious", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-04", "availabilityEnds": "2026-07-18", "validFrom": "2026-09-04", "lowPrice": "0.00", "highPrice": "0.00", "price": "0.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/santa-monica/unlikely-collaborators-spark-salon-with-dr-valerie-steele/100001991522079149" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/SoldOut", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-04", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-09-04", "url": "https://allevents.in/santa-monica/unlikely-collaborators-spark-salon-with-dr-valerie-steele/100001991522079149", "price": 0, "name": "General Admission" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Unlikely Collaborators", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/unlikely-collaborators/26409852", "description": "Unlikely Collaborators is a nonprofit organization fostering transformative storytelling, human connection, and internal conflict resolution. We support projects challenging assumptions, sparking dialogue, and inviting self-awareness in community, based on the Perception Box framework." } ] } ] ```