I've been putting off this post, because I was thinking about how to approach it. But as I started to select pictures, I realized, I cannot do it in one post, because there were so many things, so many details, Norbert shot more than a thousand pictures for me in there.
This will be a general overview, and I will come back with details. Details of a particular dress, maybe some story, etc.
The exhibition opened in september 2025 and within historical clothes circles the buzz started even before. Beside the renaissance, the 18th century is my other favorite period (especially fashion-wise), I was hankering to go. I have a birthday a week before Xmas, and I told Norbert, that I do not want any present for either, the only thing I want is to go and see this exhibition. Norbert gave the trip to me. <3
By the time he organized the airplane tickets and the hotel, all the museum tickets were booked. Umm. In January. We could not book a time for the end of February. However, one could buy a V and A membership, with which you can go in and take one guest as many times as you want. For one whole year to any exhibition. For about twice as much money as two tickets would've cost. Go figure.
In my opinion, it was a not so subtle push people toward buying the membership. Which is actually not a bad deal if someone lives in London or close enough to go there more than once, but for so many people, like us, who only gone to London for a short visit to actually see the exhibition, it seems a bit like an extortion.
Anyhow, since Norbert already paid for the airplane tickets and the hotel, I did bought the membership. (And I actually used it, as it turned out an Instagram friend of mine was in london that weekend, and could take her in to see the exhibition. Yay, a small win, LOL).
Let's talk about the exhibition itself, shall we?
It was so excited to go, so hyped up, you can see the smile on my face on the above pictures.
At the same time, it was exhausting. For one, the exhibition was on until the end of March, and we were there only a couple of weeks before. There were so many people there (even on Wednesday and Friday morning). Sometimes it was hard to get close enough to see the details, or simply to move around.
There were so many things to see so many details, and so many themes. Not only Marie Antoinette (MA)'s dresses, and clothes and object from that time period, but also the exhibition showed the effect she (and 18th century fashion) had on later periods, which I also find interesting).
Entering a famous portait of Marie Antoinette greets the visitor.
There was a recontstruction of this dress in the Pozsony (Bratislava) exhibition, you can see the pictires of that HERE. The silver brocade wedding gown is the first actual dress you see. It is a court gown that means it has a very rigid bodice and long train with a "grand pannier".
This dress is made from a so called "ikat" woven fabric, where they dye th eyarn in a particular way so after weaving the colorful bits get next to each other forming a pattern.
One of the things I learned, that I always though that a francaise gown almost always go with a stomacher front- and that is not so. The majority of the francaise type gowns at the exhibition were closed front gowns (though that might be, because they are somewhat later pieces from the period).
This pink gown was one of my favorites (no wonder I did make a
pink striped 18th century gown)
The first part of the exhibition shown dresses and the general fashion before the 1780-ies, and then there was a corner where they put pieces from the later period, like the famous chemise a'la reine, a flovers english gown (with a zone front), a pierot jacket and such.
There were mementos from the last period of her life, like this caricature (there were other ones that ahowed her even more unfavorable light).
A guillotine, similar to one that cut her head (my stomach still gets into a knot when I see even the picture of it).
Her last chemise (undershirt). (I did cry in the museum seeing this one).
And then there were a few dresses from the 19th century that represented the effect MA and the 18th century had on later fashions.
This striped dress ws literally made from an older (18th century dress) and later refashioned once more to make it into an 18th c. style "fancy dress" (costume).
I never made secret of the fact than I am not a fan of the 20th century clothing, the only thing I like is the so called "Lucille dress" from the 1910's and its direct descendant, the robe de style, which actually had a pannier underneath, evoking the 18th century silhuette.
Oh, where is this silk embroidery is so familiar from? I know,
I made my Robe the Style with silk embroidery...
Then there was a part where they shown, how MA (and the 18th c fashion) appeared in the movies.
Some famous MA costumes.
If you saw the 2005 Sofia Coppola Movie this pink travelling costume should be familiar.
Katherine the Great's costume from the series Great.
And the very last part: more modern fashion desiners adapting 18th century elements to their costume designs.
By the time we finished my head was buzzing.
I got to the point when I simply just would not be able to process more input.
I learned so much, I felt so much.
As I said at the beginning Norbert made so many detailed pictures, that I thought it would be worth to revisit some of the pieces with a more detailed post.
(Pictures: Norbert Varga @Bodeszphoto)
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