A new exhibition looks at the history of fashion and has some wonderful vintage clothes on show
We shop for clothes without a second thought. As the fashions change, so do the contents of our wardrobe. In goes one style, out goes another.
While we might like dressing up, it’s not often that we look at how the items we wear relate to the society we live in. Each time we choose a piece of clothing, we are making a specific statement as we merge into part of a wider system of codes and rules of conduct. What we wear and do not wear is not always the conscious choice we would like to believe it is, but instead an expression of the whole state of society at the time of question.
In the early 1900s, for example, it was completely unacceptable for women in the UK to show their legs in public. By the 1960s, women were strutting around London in colourful mini skirts. Social historians often relate the introduction of the itsy bitsy mini-skirt with the introduction of the pill – as women became more sexually liberated, it became feasible to show more flesh.
In the light of this fascinating modern phenomenon named ‘fashion’, the Lanitis Centre in Limassol is currently wowing the crowds with an exhibition dedicated to all the wonderful designs and fabrics that have adorned the female body throughout the ages.
But where did the idea first come from to use cloth to cover parts of our body? And what are the origins of the concept of high ‘fashion’? The exhibition gives an insight into the idea of ‘dressing up’, examining the concept of clothing from all sorts of sociological and anthropological aspects. Was it shame of nakedness or the notion of sexuality that led us to start dressing up? Was it purely decorative or more to do with protection? And how did things vary between civilisations?
“We’ve wanted to put on a show like this at the Centre for a long time because the concept of fashion is one that doesn’t often enter a gallery or museum space,” says the director of the Lanitis Centre, Catherine Nikita. “This is the very first time such a large scale fashion exhibition has been presented in Cyprus and each piece on show has been carefully chosen to relate to a particular social attitude at a specific time.”
Interestingly, the manner in which women first wrapped a piece of cloth around their bodies in Ancient Greece still inspires today’s famous designers around the world. As the piece of cloth was cut in the centre, it was then passed over the person’s head to hang freely from the shoulders.
This evolution opened thousands of paths for cutting material and eventually making clothes using more than one piece of fabric. After the rise of elegant couture fashion in the 1930s, fashion designers began to use the body in the same way as an artist uses clay, canvas or any other material in the purpose of making art.
Go along to the exhibition and you’ll be taken on a visual journey through this history, with museum pieces of clothing on show from the 18th to the 21st century. The pieces cover the whole evolution of costumes and fashion in Europe, outlining its distinct dress code. You can set your sights on masterpieces by Dior, Gautier, Galliano, Channel and Mary Quant, as well as grand designs by modern Greek designers such as Evangelides, Desses and Galanos. Some are fabulous vintage pieces from the 1940s; others are colourful retro outfits from the 1980s.
As an exhibition which approaches fashion from a non conventional angle, it aims to make some parallels between the fashion of yesterday and today, as well as pointing out the changes that come with the years.
“If fashion is a representation of the society we live in and a whole way of thinking, this exhibition takes a journey back in time, reflecting on why people wore the clothes they did, and how exactly they wanted to be perceived,” says Nikita.
Not solely focused on foreign designs, the exhibition also features Cypriot designers who have made a name for themselves both locally and internationally in recent years. Kika Ioannidou, Helena Strogyliotou, Erodokritos and Pantelis Mitsou are but a few Cypriot names that will be giving crowds a treat.
As you walk through the exhibition space, you’ll be greeted by installations that hang from the ceilings, as well as projections and other surprises. There are of course plenty of mannequins dressed up in various costumes, from gorgeous dresses to military uniforms and bridal wear. Accessories will also be on show, including gloves, hats and bags.
To Dress
Exhibition consisting of museum pieces of clothing from the 18th to the 21st century. Sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Culture and Marfin Popular Bank. Until January 27. Evagoras Lanitis Foundation, Carob Mill, Limassol. Weekdays except Tuesday, 10am-1pm and 3pm-9pm. Saturday and Sunday: 3pm-9pm. Tel: 25 342123
