“Dressed for History: Why Costume Collections Matter, Women’s Fashion 1750-2000” MOV Exhibit Cataloque

“Clothing is the most personal of artefacts. It reveals so much about who we are, what we do and what we value. Clothing conveys information about occupation, social and economic status, gender and cultural identity and political and religious affiliation.

Clothing not only expresses aspects of a wearer’s identity, it also reveals much about the larger context of production. As products of available raw materials, textile technologies, designs and styles, what we wear connects us to local and global stories of resource extraction, trade, labour and technology.

Four remarkable local collectors have recognized the importance of preserving costumes to document the past and inspire our present and future.” – Museum of Vancouver