Gallery of Costume in Manchester opens again

TinTrunk

TinTrunk

Registered Guest
Last Saturday saw the grand reopening of the Gallery of Costume in Manchester. I've been volunteering there for about six years now, and I know how much work has gone on behind the scenes to get it all refurbished and ready.

It was a fantastic occasion, with lots of enthusiastic visitors enjoying the new 20th century exhibition - Suffragettes to Supermodels - on the ground floor, a fascinating exhibition curated by my friend Eleanor Thompson (formerly curator of costume at the Museum of Brighton - and I used to be a volunteer for her too!) on the first floor which examines Dr C.W. Cunnington's theories about Victorian women's fashions, and some new artworks inspired by items in the collection including a very striking black leather gown bristling with pins!

I was a bit too excited and giddy to take many pictures, but I've posted a few in a set on flickr which you can see here (no commercial links honest!):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trevira/sets/72157623492179499/

(Sorry I don't know how to post pictures here directly from Flickr - is it possible?)

In fact it was so exciting that a poor girl fainted during the speeches (she was ok)! The local MP Gerald Kaufman pointed to the newly acquired Audrey Hepburn Givenchy dress and Leslie Caron's suit (Dior, I think) and made a joke about how he couldn't quite include himself in their starry company, but then he pulled out one of his old suits and gave it to the curator for the collection! A nice moment.

Louise of Catwalk Creative came along with her adorable daughter, and her very professional-looking camera so I hope she's taken lots of pictures. They're bound to be better than mine! She said she would blog about the opening, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing her report, and her 'take' on the exhibits. Its great that you're helping to spread the word, thanks my dear!

The Gallery of Costume's collection is the second biggest in Britain, and it was the very first national museum dedicated solely to costume. Its well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in the vicinity.

Last thing. The book "Fabric of Society: A Century of People and Their Clothes, 1770-1870" by Jane Tozer and Sarah Levitt has been republished to coincide with the reopening. It features numerous essays about items in the Gallery of Costume's collection, and a history of the building itself, and is lavishly illustrated in full colour. No, I'm not on commission, but I did help proof read half of it for the new edition so I can vouch for its quality!

I can't find it on Amazon yet, but as soon as I can get more publication details I'll post them here.

Phew, sorry for the over long post!

Sarah
 
Thanks Amanda! We'd love to see you here! As you can tell, I'm very fond of the place and very proud to be involved with it in a small way.

Some VFGers may be familiar with Anne Buck, who was the first keeper of costume at the museum from 1947 to 1972 and wrote several important books about dress history. This is an obituary which gives a good summary of her life and career:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2005/jun/04/guardianobituaries.veronicahorwell

kittycatsilver - yes, do come along! I stupidly forgot to add the museum's own link, which has visitor information:

http://www.manchestergalleries.org/our-other-venues/platt-hall-gallery-of-costume/

That is a lovely mannequin, and there's a few more in a similar style hiding away in storage. Hopefully they will be put on display some time in the future.

Sarah
 
Originally posted by amandainvermont
I lived in London and never considered going to Manchester. Now I want to cross the ocean and only go to Manchester!
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hehehe! The North is where it's at! :headbang: But don't tell anyone!

I had a marvellous time on Saturday and my daughter (age 6) is now officially a vintage diva! I'm so lucky because it's quite literally a few minutes away from home. I shall definitely be posting photos on the blog over the coming weeks but here's just a few to be going on with.

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Fabulous, FABULOUS photos, Louise! You've captured quite a few of my favourites there, and I'm now even more excited to see your report! :)

Ooop the North!

Sarah
 
I really need another visit and SOON! Without small child next time! I just had to take her to the grand opening and she was so excited about it and loved the pretty dresses of course. She had a particular penchant for the Biba frock and I've got to say that was one of my faves too.

I'll probably visit again before I post anything on my blog - we'll see. I need to soak up all the info in more detail. There was so much to take in. Hopefully man with teeny tiny camera will not be there next time. He scuttled off into a dark corner once he realised he'd picked on the wrong person. It's called camera envy!!!

BTW! I love the book you recommended. I found the section on fabric printing from 1700 to 1870 particularly interesting. Because it was Mother's day yesterday, I got to spend a whole hour (or so) in bed reading. It's so rare I get time to read like that but I guess I'll have to make the time in future. :)

hehehehe! Just remembered Sarah! I can just about see your reflection in the pink hat. I should have taken a filter lens with be to block out reflections but . . . . . . . I didn't.
 
Louise - oh my goodness, that's so funny! I look like I'm a ghostly imprint on the velour!

Your daughter was as bright as a button, and has such great taste already, at such a young age. You'll have to watch her as she gets older in case she starts borrowing your stock! :lol:

And that bossy man, oh dear! Just so long as you weren't in the room with the extremely rare and precious 17th century embroidery (its got very low lighting to protect it from fading), which I'm sure wasn't the case, then he had no right to tell you off. Although I have noticed that most museums have a blanket ban on flash photography because they are super cautious about light damage.

There were no signs or warnings about this, so you were perfectly in your right to take pictures.

I'm so pleased you're enjoying the book! What a lovely way to spend your Mothers' Day lie-in!

Patentleathershoes - I agree completely! Its fantastic to see authentic old mannequins wearing outfits from their time. There's quite a few hidden away right now - I know because I helped catalogue and photograph them all recently.

Maybe one day I'll be allowed to help curate an exhibition that will put a few more of them on show . . .

Sarah
 
Originally posted by TinTrunk
And that bossy man, oh dear! Just so long as you weren't in the room with the extremely rare and precious 17th century embroidery (its got very low lighting to protect it from fading), which I'm sure wasn't the case, then he had no right to tell you off. Although I have noticed that most museums have a blanket ban on flash photography because they are super cautious about light damage.

There were no signs or warnings about this, so you were perfectly in your right to take pictures.

Sarah
Click to expand...

I was in the section with 1940's clothes and after asking him whether he actually worked for the gallery (he didn't), I told him that no only did I phone beforehand to ask permission to take photos, but I asked a second time on arrival at the gallery. Both times I was told a resounding 'yes'.

I don't appreciate comments like that, especially from complete strangers and told him as much. "And you are . . . . .?"

He could see everyone else taking photos but honed in on me for some reason. Like I say, perhaps he was miffed that I had a much better camera than his, OR, I was just stood in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Either way, the jerk didn't stay around long enough once he realised I wasn't taking any of his nonsense. He made for the exit and I didn't see him afterwards. If I'd have been a 6ft bloke, he probably wouldn't have said anything. Total jerk! :duh:
 
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