Snoopy in Style NYC opened this week in Manhattan, presenting a free exhibition that charts how the beloved Peanuts beagle evolved from Charles Schulz’s comic pages into a global touchstone for fashion, design, and popular culture.
The showcase, running through September 26 in the Meatpacking District, surveys Snoopy’s many personas, from World War I flying ace to “Joe Cool,” while tracing his rise as a commercial and creative force. According to organizers, the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center curated installations that examine the character’s reach across art, apparel, and brand culture.
Inside ‘Snoopy in Style NYC’
At the center is a suite of Snoopy and Woodstock dolls outfitted by well-known labels, including Adidas, Coach, and Levi’s. Organizers note the concept builds on a 1980s initiative led by licensing pioneer Connie Boucher, who invited top designers to create looks for Snoopy and his sister Belle. Melissa Menta, a senior executive with Peanuts Worldwide, said the new presentation reimagines that effort with contemporary doll ensembles.
Boucher, who died in 1995, helped set higher standards for character licensing after an early collaboration on a 1961 Peanuts calendar. Charles Schulz credited her with elevating the quality and originality of such partnerships, which expanded into items like date books, sweatshirts, and banners.
Snoopy’s cultural arc, from spaceflight to sports
Snoopy’s profile surged in the late 1960s. In 1968 he became a NASA mascot, and the agency created the Silver Snoopy award to honor employees and contractors for “outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success.” That same year, Snoopy also drew attention as a write-in option during the U.S. presidential election.
Quick fact: Peanuts and sports
- In the 1970s, Peanuts characters were used to advocate for Title IX and gender equality in sports.
- The exhibition includes a tennis-focused display that highlights Schulz’s close friendship with Billie Jean King.
The show also nods to the strip’s instantly recognizable wardrobe, from Charlie Brown’s zigzag shirt to Linus’ blanket and Sally’s polka dots. Jean Schulz, president of the museum’s board of directors, said Charles Schulz gave each character a distinct style that revealed something deeper about them.
Enduring influence beyond the comic strip
Though Peanuts concluded in 2000 after nearly five decades, Snoopy remains one of Schulz’s most visible creations. His image continues to animate clothing lines, themed attractions, cafes, and gardens.
As author Jonathan Franzen once wrote, Snoopy is a versatile “quick-change artist,” equally at home as a hockey player, Head Beagle, or a dog simply awaiting dinner.
The Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center joins institutions like the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in treating comics and popular imagery as significant cultural storytelling forms, a conversation that also informs coverage such as Lucas Museum of Narrative Art readies Los Angeles debut.