Textiles & Fashions

Monthly Archive: December Text

Exhibit A: Dior Dress

Posted: September 15, 2016 - 08:00 , by ROM
Categories: 
| Comments () | Comment
Red dress with white panels and black beaded designs

“In a machine age, dressmaking is one of the last refuges of the human, the personal, the inimitable.”

— Christian Dior 

Commissioned by the ROM, Passage #5 was designed by John Galliano for Christian Dior Haute Couture. This dramatic coat-dress was inspired by fashion illustrator René Gruau’s drawings from the 1940s and 1950s and is a 21st-century reworking of Dior’s 1947 New Look collection (his first).

Padded Hangers 2.0: Revamping Storage for Fitted Jackets

Posted: December 14, 2015 - 12:33 , by royal
Categories: 
| Comments () | Comment

The ROM recently acquired 6 fitted jackets by the designer Martin Margiela. We created additional support by adding creating padded forms for the body and arms that would fit over the polyethylene wire hangers.

Mexico’s Day of the Dead at the ROM

Posted: October 23, 2015 - 12:24 , by ROM
Categories: 
| Comments () | Comment
Photo of two women standing against a colourful mural

Chloe Sayer, guest curator of ¡Viva México! Clothing & Culture and ROM Research Associate, is back in Toronto for the ROM’s celebration of Day of the Dead on October 30, one of Mexico’s most important annual festivals.

Silk Threads from China

Posted: June 23, 2014 - 11:30 , by Deepali Dewan


Welcome banners for Friends Groups

Let there be Light

Posted: July 17, 2013 - 11:58 , by ROM
Categories: 
| Comments () | Comment
Image showing all of the detail.

Our Senior Photographer, Bryan Boyle, shares his process of photographing beautiful Baroque textiles. 

Viktor&Rolf Dolls come to the ROM

Posted: June 20, 2013 - 14:07 , by royal
Categories: 
| Comments () | Comment
Viktor&Rolf with Alexandra Palmer

Appearing at the ROM until the end of June, Viktor&Rolf Dolls. Free admission.

Cloth hunting in Tanzania

Posted: June 13, 2013 - 10:48 , by ROM
Categories: 
| Comments () | Comment

In the 19th century, cloth was big business in East Africa. From present-day Somalia down to Mozambique, the whole eastern half of the continent was experiencing an economic boom as it exported elephant ivory, slaves, aromatics and spices to Asia, Europe, and North America. With their newfound wealth, East African consumers largely sought to acquire foreign cloth and beads.

ROM Volunteer Profile: Patricia Harris

Posted: April 25, 2013 - 15:20 , by David McKay
Categories: 
| Comments () | Comment

Patricia Harris is a true testament to the profound impact of volunteerism...

Fashion Crime Stoppers

Posted: March 26, 2013 - 17:26 , by royal
Categories: 
| Comments () | Comment
Fashion Crimes at the ROM

The Panelists from the upcoming Fashion Crimes Debate share what they consider unforgiveable fashion crimes. What do you consider to be a fashion crime?

History of the White Wedding Dress

Posted: April 29, 2011 - 13:56 , by royal

The white wedding gown worn by many brides today didn’t became popular until the Victorian Era.  In fact, many contribute the popularity to Queen Victoria herself, who wore white to her wedding day.

Before this time, European brides were known to wear dresses in a variety of colours and embroidered with elaborate patterns.  However, the white wedding dress was quickly adopted in the 19th century by brides on both sides of the Atlantic.

Take a peek at these beautiful examples of Canadian wedding dresses in the ROM’s textile collection: