*********** CSA E-News Volume 2 No. 13 October 1, 2003 Edition Costume Society of America http://www.costumesocietyamerica.com CONTENTS: 1. Historic Weddings 2. Travel Opportunities 3. Fashion On The Frontier 4. Survey Participants Requested 5. News From Members 6. Exhibitions Just Opened 7. Regional Events 8. Jewelry Seminar 9. Advertise Your Business 10. CSA Bookstore 11. Costume Collection Info In Houston ********************* 1. HISTORIC WEDDINGS A. WEDDING DRESSES: The Stephens College Costume Research Library in Columbia, Missouri will present, "For Better For Worse: The Dress, The Woman, The Life." This exhibit will feature wedding dresses from 1880 to 2000. Dresses and accessories come from the collection, alumnae, and friends. The exhibit continues on the theme of the 2004 Historic Fashions Calendar of wedding dresses, and uses stories to accompany each dress. Each participant was asked to write about her wedding day and life afterward. The exhibit shows newspaper articles, design sketches, 25th and 50th wedding anniversary information, and dress from the wedding party. Historical research about the institution of marriage and wedding dress will be part of the exhibit as well. The exhibit runs October 13 - November 7, 2003. There will be a reception and gallery opening October 18 with conversations with the brides. Contact Monica Phillippe McMurry at mailto:mmcmurry@stephens.edu for more information; see the website at http://www.stephens.edu/www/PR/News/CRL.html for more about the Library. B. ORDER YOUR CALENDARS: Don't forget the 2004 Historic Fashions Calendar "The Wedding Dress" is available at a 25% discount price to CSA members. Call the National Office for more information: 1-800-CSA-9447. Order now for holiday gifts! C. VEILED ILLUSION: According to Norma Lu Meehan of Region III and illustrator of "The Fowler Family" paper doll series, the Northern Indiana Center for History in South Bend just completed a successful exhibition called "Veiled Illusion: Vintage Bridal Gowns in the Oliver Mansion." Norma was one of three guest curators for the exhibition. See http://www.centerforhistory.org/ for future exhibition schedules at the late 19th-century Oliver Mansion. ************************ 2. TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES A. SUSAN KHALJE TO PARIS: Couturiere, author and television host Susan Khalje will be taking a group of sewing enthusiasts to Paris, November 9-17, 2003. They will combine education (in draping sessions with couture masters), shopping (visiting incredible fabric resources), inspiration (visits to artisans), culture (attending the ballet and a chamber music concert), fun (beauty treatments, a visit to the flea market), gourmet meals, and much more. Details from Susan at 410-592-5711 or at http://www.SusanKhalje.com (click on the Eiffel Tower icon). B. FASHION PERSPECTIVE TOURS: Pam Sexton, of Fashion Perspective Tours, announces upcoming tours. FPT's mission is to offer reasonably priced tours with exclusive contacts in the world of fashion, current design, historic costume, and textiles. FPT Schedule = LONDON Interior Design Tour: February 28 - March 6, 2004; FLORENCE and ROME Fashion Perspective Tour: March 12-19, 2004; LONDON Fashion Perspective tour: May 24-31, 2004; PERU (Lima, Cuzco, Machu Picchu) Fashion Perspective Tour: June 2004; AUSTRALIA: May 2005; HONG KONG Fashion Week: July 2005 with optional BANGKOK Extension. For more information see http://www.fashionperspectivetours.com or contact Pam at mailto:pam@fashionperspectivetours.com or 804-649-0562. *************************** 3. FASHION ON THE FRONTIER This from Anne Bissonette: "There are three new exhibitions at Kent State University Museum. 'Fashion on the Ohio Frontier: 1790-1840' is my Ph.D. exhibition which was supported by CSA's Stella Blum Travel Grant. It's a phenomenal exhibition and I'm extremely proud of it. It is also part of Ohio's bicentennial celebrations." The exhibit is now open and will run through January 18, 2004. For more details see: http://www.kent.edu/museum. ********************************* 4. SURVEY PARTICIPANTS REQUESTED A. SURVEY OF TEXTILES: University of Rhode Island graduate student and CSA member Donna LaVallee will be conducting a web-based survey of textiles used in conservation and restoration practices for her Master's thesis. She is working under the direction of Dr. Margaret Ordonez. Some CSA members will be receiving an emailed invitation to participate, but anyone involved in textile conservation and/or restoration is welcome to complete the survey at: http://helpdesk.uri.edu/arweb/C/LaVallee_survey.html. Donna can be reached at mailto:donnalavallee@uri.edu if you have questions or comments. B. SMART TEXTILES: Monica Sklar, graduate student in Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising at Eastern Michigan University, is looking for participants to take a quick survey this fall for her thesis. The topic is related to "smart textiles" which Monica describes as textiles that go above and beyond the limitations they had when originally created, textiles that use technology to be reactive. Participants must live in southeastern Michigan and be 18 years of age or older. Please contact Monica at mailto:msklar7896@aol.com for your email copy of the survey or for information. ********************* 5. NEWS FROM MEMBERS A. VERNACULAR: Virginia Davis, Region V member, will give a paper, "Folk Costume to National Symbol: Mexican Stitch-Resist/Tie-Skirts," in a Costumes & Textiles session at the VI World Vernacular Congress in Puebla, Mexico. The Congress meets October 8-11, 2003. For more information see http://www.ipsonet.org/vernacular or contact Virginia at mailto:virginia@eipye.com. B. THEATER DESIGN: Liz Hopper will be doing her second design for Company of Fools theater in Hailey, Idaho. This summer she designed "Always, Patsy Cline" and in October she will design costumes for "Shirley Valentine" starring Denise Simone. Liz will also design costumes for the Barksdale Theatre IV production of "The Dead" in Richmond, VA. C. WEARABLE ART: Justine Limpus Parish will be one of the fiber artists showing at the Wearable Art Exhibit at FREE-HAND GALLERY in Los Angeles from October 11-31, 2003. There is an opening reception on October 11 from 5 to 7 pm. See http://www.freehand.com. *************************** 6. EXHIBITIONS JUST OPENED A. SHOCKING: The Philadelphia Museum of Art is pleased to announce the opening of "SHOCKING! The Art & Fashion of Elsa Schiaparelli." This survey exhibition explores the Italian-born designer's career from its modernist beginnings in the 1920s through its connections with surrealism, the upheavals of war, business struggles in the years thereafter, and finally the closing of Schiap's salon in 1954. The first major exhibition to examine the ways in which Schiaparelli's creations mirrored the social, political and cultural climate of her time, it features 140 garments, accessories, related works of art, photographs, and film clips. A large-format catalogue by curator Dilys Blum is also now available. The exhibition runs through January 4, 2004. For more information see http://www.philamuseum.org. B. POSTCARDS REDUX: "Postcards from Afar: Highlights from the Collection of Dr. Jean Andrews" is now on view at the Nancy Wilson Scanlan Gallery, Helms Fine Arts Center, St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin, TX until October 25, 2003. Gallery contact: Chuck Cooper, Director at mailto:ccooper@ststephens-texas.com. This touring exhibition was organized by Texas Fashion Collection Director and Curator, Myra Walker. For more information and a gallery tour online go to http://www.art.unt.edu/tfc and click on recent exhibitions. ******************* 7. REGIONAL EVENTS A. PARTICIPATE IN YOUR REGION! Check the CSA website at http://www.costumesocietyamerica.com/ and CSA NEWS for listings of meetings and symposia and happenings in your region. Two regional events coming up this month: REGION II - PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART: October 11, 2003. Spend the day with colleagues and Schiaparelli! Call Kristina Haugland, 215-684-7574. REGION III - SYMPOSIUM IN CINCINNATI: October 17-19, 2003. Tours, exhibitions, and papers on "Dress and Commerce." Call Gretchen Vaughn, 859-572-5285. B. CALL FOR PAPERS FOR REGION I: The Region I Spring 2004 symposium "Above the Surface: Decorative Techniques from Around the World" is to be held at Historic Deerfield on April 24, 2004. This symposium seeks to understand the human desire for adornment. Region I is accepting abstracts for papers, demonstrations and workshops that explore trimmings, embroidery, and adornment from all over the world -- historic and modern -- as well as the people who created them. For more information, please contact Ned Lazaro at mailto:lazaro@historic-deerfield.org. Deadline for abstracts is Dec. 5, 2003. ******************* 8. JEWELRY SEMINAR The American Society of Jewelry Historians will hold an all-day seminar on Saturday, November 1, 2003 at The Town Club in New York City. The seminar is titled "Highlights of American Jewelry Design, 1900-1960." There will be five speakers on the following topics: "Important Early 20th Century Jewelry Designers"; "The Phenomenon of Costume Jewelry in America"; "Hollywood's Influence on American Jewelry"; "American Studio Jewelers" and "The Designs of Jean Schlumberger." Non-ASJH members are welcome to attend. The $165 fee ($145 for members) includes continental breakfast, a sit-down buffet lunch, afternoon drink break, a packet of lecture notes, a comprehensive guide to New York City including hotel information, and discounts at shops and galleries owned by ASJH members. For information brochure and registration contact: ASJH at 914-235-0983 or mailto:info@jewelryhistorians.com. *************************** 9. ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS Now is your chance to place an advertisement in the upcoming 2004 CSA Membership Directory. A recent survey revealed that 95% of those CSA members polled feel that the Directory is a useful tool. The ads, which start at $64.00, are a great way to reach our more than 1500 members. Don't miss out on this opportunity to advertise your business, college or university program, or upcoming museum exhibition! Interested members may email CSA at mailto:national.office@costumesocietyamerica.com or call 1-800-CSA-9447 or 410-275-1619 to request more information. ****************** 10. CSA BOOKSTORE A. BOOK OF THE MONTH: Check out the CSA website Amazon.com Bookstore for this month's featured book-of-the-month review of "Whistler, Women, and Fashion." This publication accompanied the recently closed exhibition of the same title organized and exhibited by the Frick Collection in New York City. It includes essays by Margaret F. MacDonald, Susan Grace Galassi, Aileen Ribeiro and Patricia de Montfort. The catalogue was reviewed by Rebecca Kelly-Faria, Textile Conservator at the Preservation Society of Newport County, who claims that the book's "thought provoking essays and fabulous color illustrations make it a must have for your bookshelf." To read the entire review, go to: http://www.costumesocietyamerica.com/Bookstore/index.html. B. MAKE YOUR SUGGESTIONS: Melanie Sanford, Bookstore Team technical wizard, has added a suggestion box on the Bookstore main page. You can email your ideas and suggestions to the Bookstore Team -- let them hear from you! Use the form provided in the Bookstore or send your suggestions to mailto:bookstore@costumesocietyamerica.com. *************************************** 11. COSTUME COLLECTION INFO IN HOUSTON For the 2004 CSA Symposium in Houston May 26-29, Education Chair Irene Romaniw has engaged Susan North and Colleen Callahan to co-chair two dynamic professional development sessions, back to back. The first will be "Interpretation, Misinterpretation, Reinterpretation: What is in Our Collections." This will examine mistakes made in the interpretation of historical garments. They will present objects which were received wrongly interpreted, or misunderstood by previous generations, and explain how the objects were reassessed and new attributions of date, style, gender were made. The second session will be "Forensic Dressmaking: The Tools of Detection." This session will look in detail at the physical characteristics of fabric, thread and methods of construction to understand the unique properties of dress from various periods of history so that correct assessments can be made. See website for Symposium information: http://www.costumesocietyamerica.com/natsym.html.