Shimmer And Shine With Te Papa’s Latest Exhibition

14 September 2010

MEDIA RELEASE

Shimmer And Shine With Te Papa’s Latest Textile Exhibition

Enriching Fashion: an eye for detail opens in Te Papa’s Eyelights Gallery, Level 4, with a special Thursday night preview and events programme on 16 September.

The exhibition presents over 50 objects from Te Papa’s extensive textile collection. It is a fun and quirky look at those special, and sometimes meticulously-rendered details, that turn a clothing item or accessory from a ’nice-to-have’ into a ’must-have’!

Claire Regnault, Te Papa’s Senior Curator History said, ‘Enriching Fashion is a must-see for all interested in the art of clothing embellishment. From feathers and fur to sequins and beading, through to embroidery and print details, this exhibition is a journey through the dressmaker’s art.’

See an ornately-beaded Versace dress, Kate Sylvester’s playful take on a doily, and richly embroidered hats and handbags. Some items, such as TVNZ Play School Little Ted’s suit of armour and a dress decorated with hundreds of aluminium can tear-tabs, show that the use of recycled materials can have as dramatic an effect as the use of gold and silver. Other items on display include fans, children’s clothes, shoes and swimming costumes, hats, and bags.

Enriching Fashion: an eye for detail also features a case dedicated to feather and fur embellishment, and Ms Regnault said that these need to be seen in their historical context.

‘The items in this case were worn and collected at a time when it was socially acceptable to wear clothes adorned by real feathers and fur. Huge economies were based on the trade of feathers and fur, whereas these days most designers will use an artificial or sustainable substitute that is both humane and sustainable’.

On Thursday 16 September, the monthly Art After Dark event will include dedicated floortalks in Enriching Fashion; a panel discussion with seven leading designers, art commentators and history curators; and a discussion between Claire Regnault and Andrew Pfeiffer, Wardrobe Manager of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, about the importance of detail in dance costume.

Enriching Fashion: an eye for detail
17 September – 26 August 2011
Eyelights Gallery, Level 4
Te Papa
Free entry

ENDS

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