About

Introduction to the exhibition

The first thirty years of the twentieth century was a period of great change and an extremely important time for the emancipation of women, both in the way of dressing and politically as, in many parts of the world, women won the right to vote. The online exhibition Dressed for Change: Emancipation in Clothing and Society 1900-1930 reflects these changes through the selected pieces, descriptions of the fashions of each stylistically different era and texts giving a brief synopsis of the historical period with particular attention to role of women in that period. Each piece of clothing and object has a detailed archival report. The exhibition follows four itineraries: the first is a chronological look at changes in fashion styles, whereas the other three focus on significant aspects of this evolution: bags, sport and lingerie.

About

Twenty-one curatorial voices, twenty-one curatorial opinions – an unusual situation but 2020 was an unusual year. The online exhibition project was curated by Susan Marshall, lecturer in “History of Fashion”, and the students of the new two-year Fashion Archive and Heritage Management course at AFOL Moda (www.afolmoda.com ) Milan which began in November 2019, only a few months before Covid forced educational institutes to move to online teaching. Acutely aware of the need to stimulate the students during lockdown and inspired by the success of the many online exhibitions and activities offered by museums worldwide to a public deprived of, and desperate for, culture, AFOL Moda took the opportunity to reorganise part of the course in order to develop an online exhibition which would enhance the fashion and accessories collection of two of the students: Camilla Colombo (www.abitiantichi.it) and Chiara Sodini. With a mixture of hands-on workshops and online teaching, the exhibition has been an important learning process, with students discovering how to make curatorial decisions, prepare, mount and photograph historical clothing, gain proficiency in Photoshop and CAD, use the VeAC archiving system, write concise text and create marketing campaigns.

AFOL Moda

AFOL Moda offers high-level professional training in every sector of the fashion industry, through a teaching methodology that combines theoretical lessons with extensive practical experience and work placements. The training offered by AFOL Moda consists of one and two-year basic and advanced courses and a series of constantly updated specialisation courses, which allow young people and adults to enrich their professional skills. AFOL Moda is part of AFOL Metropolitana, a special consortium that offers a range of services in the field of vocational training, career guidance and employment, tailored to the needs of citizens and businesses in the Metropolitan area of Milan. (www.afolmet.it )

Credits

students of “Fashion Archive and Heritage Management”:

Amadei Giulia; Ambusu Akuma Judith; Annoscia Francesca; Artsimovich Anastasia; Barbetta Diana; Broglio Carlotta; Colombo Camilla; Crocco Marzia; Fabiano Francesca; Gozzoli Fabio; Kulla Klodiana; Marsala Lucia; Melgar Melgar Alejandro; Monroy Liliana Rene Del Carmen; Multari Mariacatena; Pappalardi Gloria; Pelliccia Francesca; Pititto Elena; Siciliani Sofia; Sodini Chiara.