I am Dr. Alanna McKnight, Toronto-based Historian, Fashion Expert, Corset Enthusiast, and Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogist.
Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy
In order to use my strong research skills for good, I completed the graduate certificate in Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) through the University of New Haven. This methodology was introduced to the Cold Case toolkit in 2018 when it was used in the successful arrest of the Golden State Killer.
I am open for volunteer work with Cold Case organizations, and employment with Law Enforcement Agencies to help give Does their names back, and to give families closure.
Fashion History &
Toronto History
My research sits at the intersection of women’s history, urban history, body theory, and fashion theory. I love the city of Toronto and its history, almost as much as I love corsets. I’ve been making and wearing them since 1999, which informed my decision to pursue Costume Studies at Dalhousie University in 2001. Learning about historic dress fuelled my academic curiosity, and I enrolled in a BA and then MA in history at York University, so I could better understand the world that these garments existed in.
As well as corsets, I specialize in the labour of fashion and the everyday folks who worked in factories and workshops. This extends to the people being exploited by the fashion industry in the Global South today, and the disaster that is Fast Fashion.
