OCT. 28, 2016 · BY RAMSAY HORN
At the front entrance of SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta, white-coat-clad student docents are eager to lead guests through the experience of the museum’s newest exhibition: a journey through 200 years of fashion. Now on display through January 29th, 2017, "Embellished: Adornment Through the Ages," is a chronicle of European and American fashion represented by hats, accessories and curios. It is the first SCAD FASH exhibition to focus exclusively on the evolution of fashion.
Guests begin their tour through the mysterious and romantically lit hallway, leading to the prominent display of the exhibition’s first piece: an Yves Saint Laurent rooster feather bolero jacket, circa 1970. From there, guests wind through a survey of adornment, from the lavish embellishments of the mid-18th century and the Belle Époque, to the sophisticated elegance of the years during and following the world wars.
Mystically lit to give each piece the illusion of suspension, headwear — such as a 1830s Florentine high drawn straw bonnet, a 1920s felt helmet cloche with silk embroidery and an early 20th century military felucca hat — are featured with a host of other accessories.
Interchangeable shoe buckles from the early 1700s, ornate parasols and a finger stretcher for shaping leather gloves catch the eye while strolling through the ages. Vintage magazines, a miniature fashion doll and numerous other historically significant pieces from the SCAD Permanent Collection complement these treasures, providing extensive insight into economic, cultural and political fashion history.
In addition to the captivating array of styles by Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli, the House of Balenciaga, and French fashion icon Christian Dior, nearly all of the items on view appear courtesy of world-renowned Italian fashion professor and collector Raffaello Piraino.
This momentous exhibition marks the U.S. debut of selected pieces from the legendary Raffaello Piraino Collection. Housed in Palermo, Italy, the collection consists of more than 5,000 ornate garments and accessories that belonged to the Sicilian aristocracy and bourgeoisie.
"Embellished: Adornment Through the Ages" is curated by Rafael Gomes, SCAD director of fashion exhibitions, with assistance from Luca Lo Sicco, SCAD professor of fashion marketing and management. Admission to the museum is free for museum members, and all SCAD students, faculty, staff with a SCAD CARD. Open to the public with the cost of museum admission.
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http://www.scad.edu/blog/scad-fash-journey-through-200-years-fashion-accessories