Thread - Coming May 2012

"Fashion fades, only style remains the same." - Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel's subtle elegance characterized generations of fashionistas and continues to inspire the style-savvy today. Please join Strawbery Banke Museum on its own fashion journey through four centuries of seacoast style with the exhibit: Thread: Stories of Fashion at Strawbery Banke, 1740-2012.

Once a loyalist stronghold, a cauldron of revolution, a place where George Washington dined, Paul Revere rode, and John Adams complained, Portsmouth, New Hampshire was also a site where women held their own court in salons and at galas, in gardens and in assemblies, where romantic love flowed and children grew strong. Although a modest seaport, Portsmouth was also a cosmopolitan city attuned to the sophisticated trends that swept in from London and Paris. What could be more revealing of early American social life than the very wardrobes worn by inhabitants?

Fast forward to 2012 at Strawbery Banke Museum & Thread

Exhibition dates: May 1, 2012-October 31, 2012
Location: Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, NH.
Curated by: Elizabeth Farish, Chief Curator, Strawbery Banke Museum & Janet Y. Larose, Esq.
Photography by: Ellen McDermott Photography
Made possible in part thanks to grants from: Coby Foundation, Davis Family Foundation, and the Roger R. and Theresa A. Thompson Endowment Fund.

Exhibit Highlights:

• Showcase of Strawbery Banke Museum's historic costume collection (women's gowns, men's jackets and vests, children's clothes, shoes, accessories)
• Contemporary fashion inspired by original pieces intended to open a dialogue on the art, design, technology and ideology of fashion over the centuries
• Historic costumes placed in appropriate period surroundings, primarily Strawbery Banke Museum's authentic furnished houses, which will be accompanied by contemporary fashion creations, inspired by the historic costume, but crafted in today's wearable fabric, creating themed "vignettes."
• Creative exhibits, programs and events that look at design, style, fashion, and textiles through an historic and cultural lens

For the latest information about the designers who are creating original pieces inspired by the Strawbery Banke collection, click here.

Programs & Events:

• June 30, 2012. Passion For Fashion Gala: Celebrity Designers Runway Show, Champagne Reception & Dinner! Tent and runway on the beautiful and historic grounds of Strawbery Banke Museum. Models will take to the first-ever Strawbery Banke Museum runway to showcase the contemporary garments that have been inspired by the historic costumes.
• Other Activities:
  • Gallery talks and lectures with industry experts, historians, and more
  • How-to workshops
  • Collaboration with local design programs
  • Family programs and activities