The Costume Society’s latest journal issue is out now!

19 April 2026, by Suzi Hall

In this week's blog, we celebrate the publication of the latest volume of Costume: The Journal of the Costume Society. Society members will be receiving their physical copies in the post, while access to all editions past and present is available for members to access digitally as usual. With authors living across Spain, Poland, New Zealand and the UK, articles in this issue highlight the transnational nature of fashion and dress.

Anthony van Dyck’s Portrayal of Henrietta Maria’s Dress: Artistic Representation and Archival Evidence, by Erin Griffey

From Valerie Cumming and Aileen Ribeiro to Emilie Gordenker and Anna Reynolds, dress historians have shown that Anthony van Dyck’s portraits necessitate a nuanced reading in terms of the types of garments depicted as well as their artful representation. And yet there has been no analysis of how the garments documented in Henrietta Maria’s wardrobe correspond to those the artist portrays her wearing. This article addresses this question by reading Van Dyck’s portraits alongside the bills from the queen’s wardrobe accounts. Analysis of garment types, trimmings and colours demonstrate connections as well as disparities between the queen’s painted and real-life dress. Notably, the bills show that — quite contrary to Van Dyck’s portraits — Henrietta Maria continued to wear complex, richly adorned gown ensembles throughout the 1630s.

Behind the Pith Helmet: A History of Colonialism, Appropriation and Indian Craft, by Yona Lesger

Today, the pith helmet is a global symbol of nineteenth-century European imperialism in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Until now, the helmet has primarily been researched through a military historical lens leaving the fashion, craft and production processes untouched. Originally developed to prevent death by ‘sunstroke’ of British soldiers in Asia, early pith helmets were likely to have been modelled after Bengali agricultural hats. The helmet’s design developed through an interplay of adoption and appropriation between British hat manufacturers and Indian shola pith and wickerwork craftspeople. Most popular between 1850 and 1950, the helmet’s wear varied by region, military rank and the wearer’s professional, cultural and ethnic background. In its emphasis on intercultural exchange and appropriation, this article joins the growing number of publications challenging the traditional Eurocentric approach to the history of dress.

The Warsaw Fashion House Bogusław Herse and Its Role in Promoting Parisian Fashion in Poland and Russia, by Przemysław Krystian Faryś

The article focuses on the commercial relationship between the most famous Polish fashion house Bogusław Herse and Parisian fashion houses. The Warsaw-based Bogusław Herse was a large and respected company. The reputation of this fashion house was well known in Warsaw and other cities of the Polish lands. The geopolitics of the nineteenth century meant that the Kingdom of Poland, including Warsaw, was occupied by the Russian Empire at that time. Polish companies, including Bogusław Herse, operated in the market of the Kingdom of Poland and the Russian Empire. If any company had good contacts in Western Europe, it could then try to trade between the East and the West. The House of Herse was founded by Bogusław Maciej Herse (1839–1880) in cooperation with Władysław Jerzykiewicz (1837–1920). After some time, Herse’s partner left the partnership. Bogusław Herse was joined by his two brothers, Adam Szczepan Herse (1850–1915) and Ferdynand Robert Herse (1845–1905). The Herse family managed to develop the Herse name and begin promoting Polish and Western fashion. They brought clothes from the best Parisian houses to the fashion house in Warsaw as well as selling their own clothes. The House of Herse also travelled to St Petersburg to promote Parisian fashions and their own clothes to women in Russia. At that time, the Warsaw company was a window onto Parisian fashion in Warsaw and St Petersburg. The activity of Herse in St Petersburg is an important element of the history of the European exclusive clothing trade. It also gives an idea of the commercial importance of smaller houses in creating an international market.

Wladzio d’Attainville and the House of Balenciaga (1924–1948), by Ana Balda

Wladzio d’Attainville (1899–1948) has traditionally been referenced in fashion historiography primarily as the romantic partner of Cristóbal Balenciaga and, occasionally, as his business associate in the Parisian House from 1936 onwards. However, until now, his figure has remained unknown, both in personal and professional terms. The absence of public statements by either Balenciaga or d’Attainville himself has hindered a deeper understanding of their relationship. Drawing on extensive research in previously unpublished sources from French and Spanish archives, as well as period press materials, it has been possible to partially reconstruct his biography and shed light on his origins. These findings allow for a deeper understanding of the role he played in the early consolidation of the House of Balenciaga in 1920s San Sebastián, as well as in its subsequent growth and development, up until his untimely death in 1948.

The issue also contains the list of recent articles from periodicals compiled by Hilary Davidson, plus a range of reviews of recently published books from across the field of dress history.

Costume Society members receive a physical copy of Costume at every publication, and also have digital access to past and present editions. Find out more about all of the benefits of becoming a member and how to join the Society here.