Dressed for History - Catalogue Launch (SOLD OUT)
Catalogue Design: Mia Hansen
Join us for an in-person catalogue launch of "Dressed for History - Why Costume Collections Matter (Women’s Fashion 1750 - 2000)".
The popular exhibition features remarkable and rare collections of women’s fashion from 1750 to 2000 from notable world-class collectors Claus Jahnke, Ivan Sayers, Melanie Talkington, and the members of the BC Society for the Museum of Original Costume (SMOC). Dressed for History makes the case that fashion and costumes are significant and enduring expressions of personal identity and of political and social change.
At this special catalogue launch, meet some of the collectors behind the exhibition! Come “dressed for history” and have artist Forest Tomlin create a fashion illustration of your outfit.
Tickets to the event includes admission to the exhibition and the MOV galleries prior to the panel.
Date: Thursday, August 24, 2023
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
5:00 pm: Doors open, attendees are welcome to view the galleries and the exhibition
6:00pm: Program begins with a moderated conversation with panelists, followed by a q&a with the audience
7:00pm: Light refreshments, mingling, visiting the exhibition, fashion illustrations
8:00pm: Event ends
Tickets: $30 for General, $20 for Seniors (65+), MOV Members, Students (with ID)
(A service fee, processing fee and GST is also applied to ticket sales)
The exhibition catalogue is available at a special price with purchase of a ticket to the launch. Select it as an "add-on" when purchasing your ticket. Those who opt in may pick up their catalogues when checking in for the event.
Spaces are limited! Register early. Masks are recommended but not required.
Meet the Panelists
Ivan Sayers
Ivan Sayers began as a volunteer at the Museum of Vancouver in 1970 and served as Curator of history from 1976-1990. He now works as an independent costume and textile researcher and museum consultant. Sayers’ extensive collection of historic garments and fashion publications, which focus on men’s, women’s and children’s fashionable, occupational and recreational clothing, date circa 1690 to the present day.
Sayers is a popular speaker and has received several awards including a Distinguished Service Award from the BC Museums Association, an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a BC Achievement Award, and the designation Curator Emeritus by the Museum of Vancouver. He is currently the Honorary Curator of the BC Society for the Museum of Original Costume (SMOC).
Claus Jahnke
Claus Jahnke trained in fashion merchandising, but his passion has always been for history and fashion.
His collection of historic clothing from Germany and Austria covers the time span from c. 1720-1960 and special items have been displayed at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and in 2017 he loaned garments from his collection to the Jewish Museum of Vienna.
His most important contribution to scholarship was the 1999 exhibition Broken Threads hosted by the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. The display was based on his collection and examined the destruction of the Jewish garment industries in Germany and Austria under fascism.
Melanie McIntosh
Melanie is President of the BC Society for the Museum of Original Costume (SMOC). She joined the SMOC Board of Trustees in 2016. She is the Associate Fashion Program Director and a fashion marketing instructor at JCI Institute. With over 16 years experience in education, she has taught fashion retailing, marketing, fashion history, merchandising and entrepreneurship. Her previous experience includes retail management and merchandising consulting, as well as marketing and professional fundraising for a public art gallery. Melanie has trained, coached and managed teams throughout her career, and is a personal coach to creative entrepreneurs at Inspire.ca.
Melanie Talkington
Melanie Talkington studied fashion design at Kwantlen College and has been working in the fashion industry for over 28 years. Her passion has always centred around fashion history, specifically the corset and undergarments. Talkington's collection now has over 350 examples of antique corsets from the 18th century through to 1970. Utilizing historical patterns, she started a business, Lace Embrace Atelier, creating bespoke corsetry for clients all over the world. There is an Antique Corset Museum located inside her boutique. Talkington has displayed items from the collection at museums in British Columbia, New York, Texas, New Mexico and Florida. Forty pieces from the collection were on loan to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in the Louvre Palace, Paris.
Meet Your Moderator
Alison Green
Alison’s career has ranged from design for theatre, television and events to teaching costume and set design at UBC. She has designed for the Arts Club Theatre, Vancouver Opera, Vancouver Playhouse, Studio 58, Carousel Theatre, Victoria’s Pacific Opera, The Belfry, and Magnus Theatre in Thunder Bay. Her work was last seen at the Stanley Theatre in the productions of A Thousand Splendid Suns, and Sense and Sensibility.
Alison has received several Jessie Richardson awards and nominations for her work. She is a Professor Emeritus of UBC’s Department of Theatre and Film. Alison is a member (retired) of the Associated Designers of Canada.
Please note: Photographs and/or video will be taken at this event. By taking part in this event you grant the event organizers full rights to use the images resulting from the photography/video filming, and any reproductions or adaptations of the images for fundraising, publicity or other purposes . This might include (but is not limited to), the right to use them in their printed and online publicity, social media, press releases and funding applications. If you do not wish to be photographed please inform an event organizer.