Up Close & Personal
200 Years of Fashion in Saratoga Springs
By Emily B. Fowler
Photographs by John Conners, Bolster Collection Curator, Saratoga Springs History Museum
The third floor of the Saratoga Springs History Museum (SSHM) is a steep climb, the ancient mahogany banister guiding visitors up a total of 47 steps. At the summit, a collection of rooms house the George S. Bolster Photographic Collection, the museum archive and the Walworth Family heirlooms, including cabinets of curiosity along the hallway. Behind the other doors lie storage areas with equally fascinating treasures, and it was here, in the costume repository, that the idea for an exhibit originated.
200 Years of Fashion in Saratoga Springs opened on April 30, 2009, displaying antique and vintage clothing, jewelry and accessories from the late eighteenth to mid-twentieth centuries. Most of the costumes are part of the SSHM’s own collection, hidden away for decades. Racks upon racks of astonishingly beautiful dresses and gowns, capes, cloaks, and “racy” undergarments occupy every available inch of storage space. Across the hall, hats in original bandboxes, beaded evening bags and myriad other accessories lay awaiting their turn to be remembered and admired.
They caught the eye of Michael B. Levinson, an interior designer, founder of his own non-profit organization, Empire Historic Arts, and the volunteer curator of 200 Years. While he was working on last year’s exhibit on historic wallpaper, Papering the Town, Levinson became familiar with the costume collection and recognized the potential for an exhibit exclusively about historic clothing.
Getting up close and personal
The design of the exhibit allows visitors to get up close to the garments and really look at them. “Whenever there is glass or a velvet rope separating the viewer from an object, the connection between the two is lost,” Levinson said.
It was with this vision that the exhibit’s interpretive text was written, to highlight not just the celebrities of the rarified world of haute couture, but also the lives of Saratogians, past and present; those who owned and wore these clothes, the local merchants who sold them and milliners who designed and manufactured the hats that were an indispensable part of the well-dressed woman’s ensemble.
The resulting exhibit is a highly accessible display chronicling design innovations, changes in styles that reflect the social and economic status of women and highlights of local history such as the Lake Houses (where the potato chip was invented) and local milliners from Saratoga Springs, Albany and Troy, N.Y. Numerous couture designers are represented including Charles Worth, Mariano Fortuny, Cristobal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Hubert De Givenchy and Oleg Cassini.
 Something Old . . .
Designed in 1860 by Charles Frederick Worth, known as “The Father of Haute Couture,” this silk brocade dress showcases the luxuriant and figure-flattering style that is characteristic of his designs. The fabric was produced with an extra weft during the weaving process, giving the flowers an embroidered appearance. The bodice has a Mandarin collar, simple vertical ruffles and button down front with interior boning for a close fit. Gathered flounces at the back, called a basque, allow for a small bustle and gives the dress added interest from all sides. The open skirt shows off a separate underskirt and has a rounded hem leading into a short train.
 Something New(er) . . .
Japanese designer Issey Miyake created the pleated orange tunic paired with Emilio Pucci leggings and Loris Azzaro vest. The late 1980s tunic, constructed from 100 percent polyester jersey, is an example of a special pleating process invented by Miyake. He later created a clothing line called “Pleats Please” that utilized this process. The technique involved cutting and sewing the garments and placing them in between layers of paper; they were then run through a heat press that created accordion-like, knife edge pleats that held their shape after the paper was removed.
The ca.1960s leggings are made from 100 percent cotton and designed by Emilio Pucci, who also designed the brightly colored psychedelic patterns for fabric. Pucci was one of the first designers to use stretch fabrics and was initially recognized as a designer of skiwear, then swimwear, using this type of material.
Designer Loris Azzaro created this 1970s-era silver crocheted vest. The metallic yarn is highly reflective and reminiscent of chain mail. Over this, Azzaro applied large, silver, mirror-like beads with beveled edges, making the most of every reflective surface, alternating these with rows of pearls, which also catch the light.
All three outfits illustrated were owned and worn by philanthropist, Ms. Mollie Wilmot, of Saratoga Springs and Palm Beach, Fla. (On Permanent Loan from the Saratoga Care Foundation)
 Something Borrowed . . .
This original ca. 1930s Mariano Fortuny dress and tunic were designed with style and ingenuity. The pleated silk dress and screened silk tunic have drawstrings for adjusting fit to the individual wearer and can be folded up quite small for traveling without wrinkling. The outfit represents a trend towards liberation in women’s fashions and lifestyles during this period. The fabric itself is avant-garde. The tiny pleats are a forerunner to those created by Izzey Miyake; Fortuny’s method employed pleating the uncut fabric. The 1930s era hat is constructed from layers of wrapped and pleated silk grosgrain. (On Loan from the Schenectady Museum)
 Something Blue . . .
Loosely woven satin ribbons and lace florets adorn this 1905 gown made from ribbon silk and netting. It has classic Edwardian features, such as the long line of the skirt, long, tapered sleeves that fit closely around the wrist and a slight train. The chiffon underskirt adds to the elegant, flowing motion of the garment, which also is characteristic of this period. The ca.1920s hat is constructed from finely woven horsehair and generously trimmed with lace, satin ribbons and silk flowers.
The evolution of fashion
200 Years of Fashion in Saratoga Springs offers museum visitors much more than an opportunity to peek into someone else’s closet, and as such, the exhibit has meant many things to many people. It has elicited responses that range from simply curious to nostalgic, from merely whimsical, to emotional, and has drawn visitors whose interest in the displays run from passionate fashionista, to general history buff, to those who donated their own or family member’s garments to the museum.
The evolution of fashion encompasses every aspect of our society, acting as a barometer which reveals our attitudes and values: technological advances, artistic genius, personal tastes, our culture as a whole – even our economic health.
200 Years of Fashion in Saratoga Springs is on view at the Saratoga Springs History Museum on the second floor of the Canfield Casino, located in the heart of Congress Park. The exhibit will run through March of 2010.
About the museum:
The Saratoga Springs History Museum has made the Canfield Casino its home since 1911. This beautiful 1870 gambling casino, owned by the city of Saratoga Springs, is on the National Register of Historic Places. While the building was originally intended for gambling and elegant dining, reformers closed it in 1907. Visitors can take a tour through time as they see exhibits on three floors of the casino displaying different aspects of Saratoga Springs history. For hours and information, call 518-584-6920 or visit www.saratogahistory.org.
About the curator: Michael B. Levinson is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He is an interior designer and event planner, founder of Empire Historic Arts, a non-profit organization devoted to bringing historic displays to public spaces, and volunteer curator at the Saratoga Springs History Museum. To date, he has curated two major exhibits at SSHM, and will be designing a third in 2010. He can be reached at 646-808-5779.
About the author: Emily B. Fowler graduated from University of New Mexico and works in the collections |
