Sep 2, 2014

Downton Abbey Exhibit

Last month I spent a week with a dear old friend.  We have been friends since we were in 6th grade or so, and I love visiting with her.  We took a day trip out to Winterthur to see their Downton Abbey costume exhibit.

The exhibit was fabulous and inspiring!


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It was so interesting seeing the costumes up close.The details were really surprising- they really do not show up on camera.  There were dresses that had amazing textures or embroidery that were not shown that clearly on tv (although I will concede that I also do not have the best eyesight and should wear my glasses for tv watching!)

They also had a ton of information comparing life in the UK in that era to how the inhabitants of Winterthur would have been living.  That was a really interesting look into the details of history that we do not always hear about.  The relationships between the rich and their help were very different in the US than they were in the UK.

I enjoyed seeing Lady Edith's wedding dress.  My photo does not do it justice, but just the fabric was so lovely in person, and they had a mirror set up so we could see the details on the back.



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It was wonderful to see the construction details on some of these garments.  Some were made with vintage materials, often mixed with modern fabrics for structural support.  Sometimes there would be components that were hand beaded or embroidered long ago, which they would use as part of a larger garment.


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This red dress was my favorite in the whole exhibit!  I forget who wore it, but the front panel is beautiful beaded flowers, and there are a ton of layers that create a flowy feel, but still provide the needed structure.  I love the lace sleeves!

We are planning a return trip before the exhibit ends, and to see an embroidery exhibit that is there now as well.

1 comment:

weaverpat said...

WOW! That's a really lovely exhibit. Great that you and your best friend could make the trip. I'm surprised that they didn't mind you taking photos.
Thanks for sharing your adventure.