Letters to a Dress: Two Museums. One Town. Two Days in May.

25 May 2015

Two Museums. One Town. Two Days in May.

Röhsska Museum and the Museum of Gothenburg

Röhsska Museet och Göteborgs Stadsmuseum

SWEDEN/ SVERIGE 2015

My first trip to Sweden. And what courtesy! Pleasant people who speak English very very well and are happy to do so to assist and greet visitors.

One word in Swedish has stuck; Fika may be roughly translated as ‘to have coffee and cake’. You have to love a country that has a special word for a cake break.

To business.

My first visit was to the Röhsska Museum and their Design History exhibition.

This featured case based displays themed to a certain time period. The set pieces featured an outfit, surrounded by tables and chairs, glassware, fabric and wallpaper. Later periods included telephones, radios and televisions. There was also the earliest microwave oven I have ever seen. A 1969 model made by Husqvarna. Resplendent in green and silver, it looks space age now; goodness knows what it looked like to people in 1969.

Each case is a snapshot of life. What people wore. Sat on. Ate off and drank from.

Wallpapered their rooms with and made their cushions out of. So many colours and designs. So much that is iconic and now part of everyday life. Sometimes it is hard to remember that someone had to invent and design these goods from scratch.

As I take you into the colourful time tunnel that this museum has created, I shall concentrate on the costumes on display.

We start in the 1890s. The visitor is drawn past silk and silk moiré dresses that show how elaborate and restrictive clothes were then. Detailed in construction, corseted, high necked, long sleeved and decorated with lace. When you arrive at the 1920s what a change. A short, loose, sleeveless dress covered in beads and a new term for the jazz age girls….Flappers. I saw the 1948 Dior dress and thought how chic it was. Beautifully tailored, button detail on the short sleeve cuffs and a diagonal run of buttons down the back of the bodice. A smart hat and three quarter length gloves. A simple nosegay of artificial flowers tucked intro the waist. Classic couture. A mere two years later Balenciaga produced a no frills skirt suit that was neat and über fashionable. Made in a black and white mix wool, it had feature buttons on the jacket, a faux half belt and side pleats on the hem for ease of movement. The black gloves and beret were the perfect accessories. Both of these outfits were far too glamorous and fitted for you to get on to the back of the Vespa in the case…although I expect that if say, Audrey Hepburn had been wearing one of them she would have done it and looked wonderful.

Mary Quant is a fashion legend. The shown example of a loose wool dress from 62-64 reminds us that sophistication went hand in hand with mini skirts and op art. A simple shift, ‘The Souper Dress’ is printed with repeated Campbell’s soup tins. It is made from 80% cellulose and 20% cotton. Not so very different from the 1920s sleeveless shift really. Modern, of its time, young, fun and short. Then the space age adventure style of the sixties. A Courrèges blouson and trousers in red lacquered leather. With white boots and buttons and logo. Also in this case was the gloriously named Wiggle chair by Frank Gehry. Made from cardboard. Another ten years on and we are in the 1970s. I remember it well and sure enough there was a fab floor length red patterned dress. Made up in cotton jersey with kimono sleeves. Far Out! The diversity that was fashion in the 70s was pointed up by the grey and white cotton dress with long sleeves, patch pockets and same fabric long handled circular bag. Very Bucolic. A corridor leads you to a final room that is full of natural light. Not surprising since it has a wall of glass. Just the thing for appreciating the 1991 Moschino dress in patterned silk. A pattern by no less a person than Roy Lichteinstein. Striking, stunning, colourful, and sassy. Very 90s. Jean Muir is the epitome of cool understated elegance. Her crêpe dress from the 1980s has a button detail at the neck and a slim belt with a small buckle. There is no need for anything else. It is sublime. Nearly at the end now and from 2008/9 I enjoy the two smart contemporary frocks in black. One long sleeved the other sleeveless. One in wool, the other silk and cotton. Both simple, stark and definitely with the Wow factor. Accessorising them with modern/retro spectacles was a good choice. The finale was a showstopper indeed. Gaultier. ‘Madonna’. A 2007 floor length dress that combined a trompe d’oeil baby with fabric that looked like stained glass.

What can I add to that?

(Just that I finished my visit with a fika break in the café…try the chocolate cake)

Before my visit to Gothenburg ended I had a chance to see the Museum of Gothenburg. I went in to look at their costume exhibits, but ended up spending a lot of time looking at the Viking artefacts. I particularly enjoyed reading about the inheritance rights that Viking women had. Very future forward thinking. In England I have visited the remains of The Mary Rose, an English warship of King Henry VIIIs, laid down in 1510. The Viking ship remains on display here are 600 years older. Astonishing.

The costumes did not disappoint either. A gorgeous display of dress from the 18^th century showed a pannier supported dress in all its pomp, with shoes and other accessories in the case. As in the Röhsska, garments were placed in sets and scenes from their period. Thus enabling one to see how clothes and artefacts fit together like a jigsaw.

From c1810 a fine example of Empire style…white cotton spotted muslin, accessorised with a beautiful Persian patterned shawl. The light coloured spindly legged furniture added to the effect of freedom and delicacy. Next two costumes for young women, late 1800s, a check suit and a violet taffeta dress. Both replete with buttons and tucks and frills. The heavy dark furniture and elaborately framed paintings gave excellent context to the clothes. Lastly a sturdy brown ladies coat from the 1890s, with bonnets, shoes and bags all from the same period. After this I managed a peek at a poignant exhibition about Vidkärrs orphanage and then a final fika in the café (again the chocolate cake was out of this world), before a Taxi to the airport.

I enjoyed the Museums very much.

It was a privilege to see such expertly mounted exhibitions.

Tack så mycket till museer och alla de vänliga människorna i göteborg. (och din chokladkaka är i världsklass)

www.Rohsska.se

www.goteborgsstadsmuseum.se

No comments:

FROCK TALES

MAR
19

Frock Tales: Clues and Questions in Costume.

I have long been a proponent for social network’s potential in sharing knowledge, and creating unlikely connections between individuals simply through pursuing the same passions. This is especially true of my recent trip to Henfield Museum to attend a talk on dress history.

The trip came about through a chance correspondence in Facebook group Fashion Historians Unite! (wonderful place, highly recommend a browse!) where costume curator of Henfield Museum, Stephanie Richards, regularly shares brilliant images of the garments kept in their archive. Through an exchange of messages, Stephanie kindly offered to host a talk especially to share the lesser-known collection with University of Brighton students.

Simultaneously, I was thrilled and anxious. I love clothes (especially the old ones!) and cherish opportunities to see archival pieces. However, as a typically disorganised person, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat inept at the prospect of organising a group trip. As a Masters student, I don’t see students on other pathways as often, so I had no way of knowing who else would be up for it. After postering the campus, sharing around social media, and a determined word-of-mouth campaign among students and staff, a group emerged who shared my enthusiasm. The attendees from Brighton were a mix of friends, strangers; young coursemates and senior staff. Finally, after weeks of arranging, we were boarding a rickety minibus to get to Henfield.

Costume curator Stephanie Richards handling dress artefacts
As we arrived into the village hall, the room was already bustling with an eager audience gazing over the intriguing spread of garments presented across the front. Stephanie began the talk by quoting Mason Cooley; that “Clothes make a statement, costume tells a story…”, an aphorism which set the tone for the evening. Entitled “Frock Tales: Clues and Questions in Costume”, Stephanie’s talk guided us through some of the gems kept in the Henfield archives. She advised to always approach artefacts with a questioning eye, only then could the stories held between the seams be unravelled.

The collection stems from a small social history exhibition in the 1930s which expanded over time, all the while reflecting the village’s individual character. The pieces in the Museum generally all have some link to Henfield and/or the people who lived there. Particularly within smaller collections, the value of oral testimony is vital to illuminate an object’s relevance. From anecdotal experiences of New Look-styles to in-depth recounts of tragic life-histories illustrated through dress, the tales told all affirmed clothing’s oft overlooked function as readable documents of the past. Clothes are worn by everyone (in polite society), travel across time and locations, and crucially know the most intimate details of an individual. As Stephanie observes, clothes are more than just coverings, they are snippets of their owner’s life.

There are some spectacular items in the collection; a surprisingly sturdy 1860’s crinoline, 1940s parachute-silk shirts, a c1870-80s two-piece dress with patented sweatguards in the bodice armpits, and a beautifully beaded 1920s flapper dress which weighed two kilos! Wherever possible, the stories behind the owners of each garment were meticulously researched, and were equally as compelling as each sartorial detail. In some cases, Stephanie had traced items to the actual stores they were bought, I certainly agree with her observation that finding a maker’s label is like hitting the dress historian jackpot! One example was an exquisite black taffeta 1880s mantle from Brighton department store Hannington’s (though she mentioned that the royal warranted retailer has been mis-catalogued as ‘Harrington’s’) In other cases she retold the life-stories of the wearers, uncovering many remarkable, salacious, and uplifting details of the people once adorned by the surviving pieces.

Mystery dress!

The evening was not without some unsolved mysteries (I'm sure many of us love playing dress detective!) as a plain brown, mostly handsewn dress with medieval-styled sleeves and ruching was curiously embellished with some awfully fancy gold beading. At first glance it appears reminiscent of the Arts & Crafts styles, though it was not the work of the Omega group, and could possibly be theatrical dress or for a pageant? One of my personal obsessions within historic garments is evidence of alteration and re-making, so I was thrilled to see pieces showing evidence of theatrical additions or alteration to their original forms; further nuances within the tales told by dresses.

The most unexpectedly rewarding aspects of the talk was that it was also open to the friends of the Henfield Museum, who kindly provided refreshments for us all. It was such a fantastic experience for all of the Brighton lot to mix with the community. The evening was a true meeting of minds, as budding-historian students chatted with local-history buffs and dress historians could come together cast their eye over puzzling pieces. Many of the locals had not seen these pieces before either so we were all similarly amazed together, and the entire audience left inspired and in high-spirits. We are all extremely thankful to the FOHM for being so accommodating, and to Stephanie for putting together such an inspiring look into the artefact-based approach of a dress historian. After weeks of online correspondence, it was wonderful to meet a likeminded researcher in person!

http://sarahmarygeissler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/frock-tales-clues-and-questions-in.html
Sarah-Mary Geissler

A Stitch In Time. Part Three. 1860

Previously in a Stitch in Time

In 1815 Amelia was marking time until Ralph returned from the battle of Waterloo.

They married in a joyous ceremony after his safe return.

In time they were blessed with a son.

But as the years passed, the happy ending got less and less happy.

Now read on…..

Ivywell House

Sussex

August 1860

Dear Florence,

The most extraordinary thing has happened. It would not be out of place in a penny dreadful. No, I shall not tell you straight away, as I have to confess to being more than a little vexed with you. You are my dear sister. But please stop trying to persuade me that I shall enjoy the ball tomorrow. I realise Colonel and Mrs Bell are old friends of mama and papa and our family have been their guests before. I am aware that most young ladies, as you have it, enjoy balls and dancing. Well dear Flo, I am most certainly not of their number. I am more interested in my studies than frivolous dances. Besides. You forget I am twenty years of age. Far too old to be engaged by thoughts of waltzes and polkas.In your position as wife to a busy cleric and mother to a darling brood of cherubs (as mama refers to them when speaking to her friends) you simply cannot comprehend how I much prefer to be left to my books.

Daily life continues as ever. The young ladies of Ivywell School (our home as I prefer to think of it.) remain a constant presence. There are always classes in full flow somewhere in the house. Papa enjoys the geography and mathematics tuition. Mama manages literature and penmanship as efficiently as always. The French master is here once a week and continues to try and push ‘langue et littérature’ into various ringletted heads. Most seem content to be able to mutter ‘Oui’ and ‘Non’ and practise their curtseys to Monsieur. I know there is no money to spare and the pupils are necessary, but our parents work so hard making trying to make polished ladies out of these silly girls.

And now to the extraordinary thing. after breakfast I was summoned to Grandmamas room. she made it plain that she agrees with you over the ball, I am to go. No argument permitted. I demurred, protesting that I had not a gown or shoes fine enough. She directed me to her dressing room and bid me look at the portrait of our great great grandmother Sophia painted a hundred years ago.( It is the very pretty lady in a red and gold brocade gown and lots of diamonds.)

Then she told me the following. After her husband, our Grandfather Ralph, was killed in a duel, the family fortune was decimated by his gambling debts. Her sole desire was to safeguard Ivywell for papa to inherit. Sadly Grandfathers profligate life had robbed her of any illusions as to the eventual fate of her family money. Carefully and over time, preparations had been made. So when she was widowed her first task was to reclaim a trunk she had hidden in the nursery linen cupboard. This held not only the dress in the portrait, but Sophia’s diamond studded shoe buckles and some other jewels. The sale of the jewellery saved the house with a little left over. If this was not startling enough, she suggests I use some of the fine red and gold brocade from the dress to fashion myself a sash and so refresh my old ball gown. Also there is enough lace left on the dress to sew a reticule for me to carry. She further confided that her bridal gown had been fashioned in part from material from this ancient dress. I am almost lost for words. ! (But not quite.)Even I find myself intrigued by this notion and there is no doubt that my ball gown is sadly dingy. I have not worn it since your wedding. Tonight I shall remove the trimmings I sported on that happiest of days (remember the artificial violets I had to match yours?) and set about making the sash and reticule.My best white gloves have a darn, but my satin pumps have no really dark stains. Mama’s lace fan will go to another ball and I shall wear a rose in my hair from the garden and trust to detract from my shabbiness by engaging people in intelligent conversation. So, there we are. I shall go to the ball. But I won’t enjoy it.

I’ll seal this missive after the event, so I may confirm my low expectations.

Grandmamma sends her love.

Your loving sister Clara xx

PS Oh Flo I am writing this after the ball.It is very very late and I have so much to tell you.The ball was the most wonderful evening of my life. As I was hiding in the Winter Garden (so as not to have to dance), I met the son of the house, Frederick Bell. We never met him as children. He has been away at school and then abroad because he is delicate. He too was taking refuge in the winter garden and so we talked and talked about Mr Dickens and his stories. And art and sculpture. Freddy has been to Rome and Paris. He wants to be a historian and has plans to write a work on architecture. And he says he believes that girls may study as well as any man.I never knew one could talk to men and they would talk back as if you were an equal.The only cloud is that as sole heir his father wishes him to confine his studies to taking over the family business empire.But oh oh oh I cannot think of that now. His eyes are the darkest green I have ever seen and his moustache so suits his noble face…

You were right my darling sister. I did enjoy the ball, perhaps not in the way you thought, but I feel that I have met my life’s soul mate.

Clara xxxx

Next time join IMOGEN in 1910. A new century.

Discover how Clara and her green eyed swain arranged their futures.

Read how a fiery family spirit can miss a generation or two, but it will out one day.

Find out what life in a new century was like for women. Better? Worse? Or the same?

25 May 2015

Two Museums. One Town. Two Days in May.

No comments:

Post a Comment