SCAD FASH goes retro
The museum celebrates its first anniversary with two historical shows
How did the idea for the Embellished and Threads of History exhibitions come about?
SCAD FASH just celebrated its first anniversary, SCAD President and founder Paula Wallace thought now was the ideal time for our first historical exhibition, showing a new side to the museum. The idea of curating a chronological fashion exhibition was to show how fashion has evolved over the years. Dr. Salvatore Lo Sicco, SCAD’s associate chair of fashion marketing and management, connected SCAD FASH with Raffaello Piraino, a professor and collector based in Palermo, Italy. After spending two intense weeks at Professor Piraino’s archives … the immense volume allowed us to tell a larger story that we were able to highlight in two exhibitions, Threads of History: Two Hundred Years of Fashion and Embellished: Adornment Through the Ages.
How are exhibitions like this curated?
Exhibitions of this kind can be challenging to put together because of their complexity. The garments and accessories are very fragile and they require special transportation, delicate handling and low levels of light. Because contemporary mannequins are not suitable for antique garments, we worked with SCAD sculpture alumni to modify the mannequins, one of the many perks of working at a university that offers such diverse and extensive design degree programs. The curators and sculptors studied how body types have changed over centuries and created mannequins to fit garments in the required shape of each era.
What can attendees expect from the exhibitions?
These SCAD FASH exhibitions offer a glimpse into the past. Visitors can enjoy a selection of 77 garments and hundreds of objects. Student docents work in the museum to assist visitors in their journey throughout the exhibition with additional information that enhances the experience.
What about this pair of shows most excites you?
Popular items on display are skirt lifters, uranium glass buttons, a finger stretcher for leather gloves, the Belle Époque section and, of course, the beaded dresses from the Roaring '20s. My personal favorite is an alluring 18th century French Robe à la Française that barely survived; the natural dye faded on parts that were exposed to intense light. Had this not been the case, the previous owner would have “recycled” the garment into a lampshade. Fortunately, it was spared and now can be seen at the exhibition.
Why are exhibitions like this important for SCAD FASH and for the city?
Exhibitions like this are extremely important not just for the education of SCAD students but also for the cultivation of our entire community. Threads of History and Embellished explore the change in culture, politics, social values and ideals over time. The more we understand from the past, the better we can make our future.
Anything else you want readers to know?
Yes, the next SCAD FASH exhibition is Shoes: Pleasure & Pain, a Victoria & Albert Museum’s traveling exhibition, open April 11–Aug. 13.
Threads of History: Two Hundred Years of Fashion and Embellished: Adornment Through the Ages. Free-$10. SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film, Fourth Floor, 1600 Peachtree St. N.W., 404-253-3132. scadfash.org.