October 17, 2018

S04E03: Costume Mounting

1 hour 14 minutes

We uncover the mysteries of costume mounting: from the magic of Fosshape to whittling down mannequins to size! Tune in for an interview with Lara Flecker about mounting and displaying fashion in museums. Kloe reviews ‘The Care and Display of Historic Clothing’ AND the Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up exhibition at the V&A. Our agony aunt Jane also answers a question about hourly rates.

00:00:26 News in brief

00:01:16 Our experiences of mounting costume

00:07:59 Mannequins: the good, the bad, and the ugly

00:10:24 How do we display partial costume?

00:15:51 Altering mannequins

00:19:14 What can ‘costume’ mean?

00:23:07 The usefulness of magnets

00:29:51 How important is the choice of mannequin for how people perceive the object?

00:31:11 Do mannequins have ethnicity?

00:36:49 Fashion and weddings – but where are the everyday dress exhibitions?

00:42:11 Useful resources and recommendations

00:46:13 Interview with Lara Flecker

00:58:07 Dear Jane

01:02:19 Review: ‘The Care and Display of Historic Clothing’

01:07:38 Bonus review: ‘Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up’ exhibition

01:12:09 Patreon shout-out!

Show Notes:

– Collections 2030 consultation: https://www.museumsassociation.org/collections/09052018-collections-2030

– Oceania exhibition: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/oceania

– Frida Kahlo – Making Her Self Up exhibition: https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/frida-kahlo-making-her-self-up

– Making the Frida Kahlo mannequins: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/making-the-frida-kahlo-mannequins

– Much Ado About Mannequins (webinar): https://www.connectingtocollections.org/much-ado-about-mannequins-making-the-perfect-form/

– Mounting Garments (webinar): https://www.connectingtocollections.org/mountinggarments/

– A Practical Guide to Costume Mounting by Lara Flecker: https://amzn.to/2J0qptI

– Proportion London: https://www.proportionlondon.com/

– Fosshape from PEL (UK): https://www.preservationequipment.com/Catalogue/Display-Products/Display-Supports/Fosshape-Heat-Activated-Fabric

– Dressing Museum Mannequins via Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/dressing-museum-mannequins

– CCI Notes 13/5 Hanging Storage for Costumes: https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/hanging-storage-costumes.html

– Unravel Fashion Podcast: https://www.unravelpodcast.com

– The Care and Display of Historic Clothing: https://amzn.to/2Oph2tm

Recommended Listening from Unravel:

– Episode 25: https://www.unravelpodcast.com/episodes-1/2017/6/26/making-mainbocher-interview-with-petra-slinkard?rq=25

– Episode 28: https://www.unravelpodcast.com/episodes-1/2017/8/27/28-fashioning-the-women-of-weeksville-a-conversation-with-noel-corbin-natalya-mills-and-kristine-mcpartlin?rq=28

– Episode 31: https://www.unravelpodcast.com/episodes-1/2017/10/15/31-burial-cap-of-a-african-american-woman-interview-with-jenna-kuttruff?rq=31

– Episode 37: https://www.unravelpodcast.com/episodes-1/2017/12/27/37-the-biggest-little-fashion-city-interview-with-denise-green?rq=37

– Episode 49: https://www.unravelpodcast.com/episodes-1/2018/4/1/49-queer-fashion-style-stories-from-an-exhibition?rq=49

– Episode 56: https://www.unravelpodcast.com/episodes-1/2018/5/28/56-sht-ton-of-gold-heavenly-bodies-golden-kingdoms-roundtable?rq=56

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey and Christina Rozeik.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional sound effects and music by Calum Robertson.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2018.

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