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The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was
retired in August 2007. It is being provided by
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From: IsabelleB
Date: 02-03-2007, 03:44 AM (1 of 9)
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Hi folks! 2 weeks ago, I spent a weekend in London - it's 3 (and soon only 2) hours from Paris! I'd always longed to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum, and that wish was finally fulfilled  The best part of it was that taking pictures was allowed in most rooms. I snapped my heart's content in the fashion room - boy, the inspiration!  You could find there both Haute Couture dresses by all the great designers (Chanel, Dior, etc.) and period dresses (from the 17th century to our days) that were wonderfully preserved. You can read more about this here (http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/fashion/index.html), and see pictures of what the galleries looked like (click on "Galleries" at the top of the left-hand list). Mary saw the pictures on my blog and suggested I started a thread here. So here goes! I took pictures from period dresses and a few designer dresses. I wish I'd taken more, but there was already quite a crowd in the museum.  The other challenge was taking acceptable pictures despite the glass cases. That is why my pictures are taken from an angle, and not full front. All the pictures are clickable and will lead you to a much larger picture. Ball Dress, about 1820 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion4.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion4-1.jpg) Evening dress, 1895-1900 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion5.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion5-1.jpg) Dior, 1947 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion3.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion3-1.jpg) Jacques Heim, 1959 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion2.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion2-1.jpg) André Courrèges, 1965 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion1.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion1-1.jpg) 2002 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion6.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/e-zabelle/pix%20for%20boards/vafashion6-1.jpg) Hope those will inspire you as much as they inspire me!
Isabelle
Sewing blog: Kitty Couture |
User: IsabelleB
Member since: 10-25-2006 Total posts: 265 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-03-2007, 10:06 AM (2 of 9)
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Fantastic. What a great trip you must have had. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Magot
Date: 02-03-2007, 03:54 PM (3 of 9)
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Isabelle - sounds like you a had a fab time - one day is never enough is it?
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: vickki
Date: 02-03-2007, 06:30 PM (4 of 9)
| I was there in 95 also in Paris,what a wonderful experience..... |
User: vickki
Member since: 08-21-2005 Total posts: 374 |
From: IsabelleB
Date: 02-04-2007, 03:32 AM (5 of 9)
Jan - you are right! But with the Eurostar covering the Paris-London distance in only 1h50 starting in March, we do plan to cross the pond more often  Have a great Sunday! Isabelle
Sewing blog: Kitty Couture |
User: IsabelleB
Member since: 10-25-2006 Total posts: 265 |
From: MaryW
Date: 02-05-2007, 10:17 AM (6 of 9)
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I would love to see the process of sewing up one of these dresses back then. It would be so interesting.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: MaryW
Date: 02-07-2007, 10:16 AM (7 of 9)
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The very first gown must have been so labor intensive in the late eighteen hundreds. I can't imagine how long it must have taken.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: IsabelleB
Date: 02-07-2007, 11:05 AM (8 of 9)
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Know what you mean, Mary. All this by hand, too!! Pity there wasn't any information on the making - those were more display rooms, really. There were wedding dresses in the middle of each room, but there were too many people to take any good pictures. There was also a special exhibition on the 1960s fashion, but since it wasn't a permanent collection, pictures weren't allowed. I just found out many of those dresses were beautifully photographed (http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/fashion/1960s/1960s_dress_database/index.php) on the museum website. Isabelle
Sewing blog: Kitty Couture |
User: IsabelleB
Member since: 10-25-2006 Total posts: 265 |
From: Magot
Date: 02-07-2007, 02:24 PM (9 of 9)
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Need to read more Jane Austen, Mary. As I understand you would take your fabric to the fashion house and they would model various styles for you, you make a choice, they measure you, and your new gowns arrive at your town house within the week for you to make your debut in society a la mode. You also visit the milliners to have them model hats the same and then trim to your liking - delivering them within days.While you are waiting of course you have your hair cut in the latest style, buy some unmentionables ,a Norwich Shawl, a new recticule and several pairs of long evening gloves... There must have been an army of sewing women. love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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