From the fashionable halls of Chatsworth House into the technology enthusiast’s new smart jacket designed by Levi’s, these are the top global fashion news stories of this week.
Historical Showcase of Fashion and Art Opens at Chatsworth House
Yesterday the grand Chatsworth House, home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, opened its doors to the public for a new exhibition, ‘House Style’. This display explores five years of royal fashion, art and adornment. The sprawling estate has been in the Cavendish family for 16 generations and was initially assembled by the 16th-century countess and close friend of Queen Elizabeth I, Bess of Hardwick. Through history, its halls are graced by the 18th century “Empress of Fashion” and Duchess of Devonshire, Georgiana; Fred Astaire’s sister, Adele; the often controversial Mitford sisters; version Stella Tenant; and John F. Kennedy’s sister, Kathleen (‘Kick’) Kennedy. Alongside exhibiting the regal style of these aristocratic women, the collection is a display of their own lives with scrapbooks, stone, art collections, photos, paintings, sculptures, and travel diaries.
Curated by the editor-at-large of Vogue America, Hamish Bowles, in addition to British model, socialite, and Countess Laura Cavendish, the nostalgic exhibition recreates a world of decadence, which formed the regular lives of their home’s inhabitants. As a young child, Bowles was introduced into costume museums and stately houses, and it is since then he has been fascinated with “the story-telling power of clothing” and their capacity to “inform us much about the wearer, the days they lived in, and the spaces they inhabited”. The collection includes coronation robes designed by Alexander McQueen, wedding gowns by Costa Francisco and Helmut Lang, and lavish garments by an enviable list of designers including Chanel, Christian Dior, and Balmain. Beautiful christening gowns reveal that the kids were fashionable and as the curator, Bowles, has said, “There is extravagance — and thrift — everywhere”. Bejewelled bug pins worn by Deborah Mitford make are part of the group’s quirky treasure trove, alongside the polished white Converse high-tops rocked by her husband, the 11th Duke of Devonshire, at the 70’s. A painting of the Duke reveals the humour of this royal household, depicting the mumps-suffering teenager dressed in formal wear with the caption: “William from the dumps with the mumps”. Gucci who recently took their 2017 Cruise collection in the labyrinthine, lush gardens of Chatsworth House has signed on as the host of the series.
The display is open from 25 March to 22 October 2017.
