museum

The Museum of Costume and Fashion Florence

June 2, 2021May 8, 2021 Posted in HistoryLeave a comment

It is located in the Palazzina della Meridiana next to the southern wing of Pitti Palace. Founded in 1983 as a result of major acquisitions and public and private donations, today it boasts a collection of more than 6,000 objects that make it one of the most important fashion museums in the world. It traces the history of fashion from the sixteenth century to the present day, with dresses and accessories designed by the major Italian and international designers.

For more details click here: Galleria del Costume, Palazzo Pitti.

I have already visited the gallery and I recommend to visit it. The garments are displayed in showcases to preserve them from the dust and the air. With walking along the dress you will also appreciate beautiful palace saloons and assembly rooms.

Even you will not find hundreds of dress displayed, you may have a look into digital gallery which is available there. You may spend there couple of hours to go thought the photos of the dress and admire detailed photos of embroidery, fabrics and tailoring art. …Enjoy :-)…

The Kyoto Costume Institute

December 2, 2020November 4, 2020 Posted in HistoryLeave a comment

Collecting and preserving western clothing through the centuries

As the name of the museum states, KCI is based in Kyoto Japan. The main activity of this institute is collecting and preserving western clothing through the centuries. Furthermore the institute collects documentation, does research, exhibitions and publishes its findings.

Kyoto institute has solid costume collection which up today contains 13 000 items of clothing and 20 000 documents. Nowadays, traveling to see whole beauty is just our dream. Thankfully we have an internet and digital archives. Click here and observe the collection and get inspiration. I have selected several of my favorites:

Major exhibitions related to historical costumes which I would like to mention are: Evolution of fashion 1835 – 1895, Revolution in fashion 1715 – 1815 and Vision of the body: fashion or invisible corset.

Kyoto Institute published two-part book collection “Fashion – A History from the 18th to the 20th Century” (2006), including items photos from the 18th century to the present day.

There is another book titled “Fashion – A History from the 18th to the 20th Century” 🙂 (2015).

And the third book with the very same title “Fashion – A History from the 18th to the 20th Century” was published in 2019. All these books have been published in cooperation with Taschen.

I hope KIC and its publications will enlarge your historical dress research sources.

Fashion Museum Bath

July 8, 2020June 14, 2020 Posted in HistoryLeave a comment

Ready to visit town where Jane Austen lived?

Today we will not visit the house where Jane Austen lived, but we will visit museum where regency fashion is displayed and have a look what Jane dressed.

The Museum was opened for the first time on 23 May 1963. It was founded by Doris Langley Moore, a designer, collector, writer and scholar, who gave her famous private collection of costume to the city of Bath. The building, in which the museum is located is owned by the National Trust.

The museum holds a world-class collection of contemporary and historic dress. You can find there various collections and exhibitions, for example: Dress of the year , A History of Fashion in 100 Objects, …

The museum also offers activities for schools, international students, you may study facilities which are not currently displayed, to learn embroidery techniques in Royal School of Needlework and participate on other activities you can do from home, for example to download coloring pages of dresses.

You will get picture of the dress you may follow … or … you can use your creativity and color the sample with colors you like more.

I have one more hook for you to visit The Fashion Museum in Bath. The museum is in Assembly Rooms and the interior is absolutely stunning.

Not living close to Bath? Would you like to know what is new anyway? There is a solution. You may sign up to newsletter on Contact page. I did subscribe to and I encourage you to do it too :-).

I have also something for lovers of social medias. You may also follow the museum activities on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

Even I may follow the museum activities online, I will make a trip to Bath anyway 🙂

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

May 13, 2020March 30, 2020 Posted in HistoryLeave a comment

Visit a museum online

“The MET” in New York City is the largest art museum in USA. Its permanent collection contains over two million works such as classical antiquity and ancient Egypt, paintings, and sculptures, musical instruments, costumes and accessories, weapons and armors, also interiors from all over the world. The Met maintains extensive holdings of African, Asian, Oceania, Byzantine, and Islamic art, too.

It was founded in 1870 and this year it celebrates 150 years. Happy Anniversary!!! :-))

The MET holdings are under the roof of this beautiful building with glamorous interior.

Today we will visit Costume Institute, obviously :-). It was founded in 1946. Today, its collection contains more than 35,000 costumes and accessories :-0.

Many of us do not have opportunity to travel to NY and thanks to the internet we may to fulfill our dream. The collections are in digital form and you may browse them online.

I searched a gown “Robe à la Française” and I found this one from 1740 made of floral fabric. All the dress are photographed from various angles, also you may have a look on details.

Each of the documented garment is described and get more detailed information. Even the photos are nicely done, the description gives you more unseen features.