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The 2021 Costume Society conference will be the first to be held online. We hope that many more of our members and followers, nationally and internationally will be able to join us this year.
The theme of the 2021 conference pays tribute to Ann Saunders MBE FSA (1931-2019), former Editor of Costume and celebrates the huge contribution she made to The Costume Society. The conference explores the relationship between clothing and paper whether it be in the context of designing and making, communicating ideas or as sources for developing a further understanding of the history of clothes.
Leading academics, creatives and industry professionals will share their research, thoughts and experiences giving us a chance to explore the multiple ways paper connects with the world of fashion
Split across five sessions the conference features Keynote speakers Hormazd Narielwalla and Babette Radclyffe-Thomas. The diverse topics in our paper contributions include early clothing records, European fashion plates in South America, paper garments, the couture house 'Isobel' and Muriel Spark's drycleaning!
The conference theme Clothing on Paper has a natural affinity with the Costume Society's Patterns of Fashion and Patterns for Performance Awards- both have flourished from Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion publications which provide an invaluable basis to study and recreate historic dress. The 2021 conference includes an exclusive event where this year's finalists will be revealed.
Paper 1 Pat Poppy - Lost in transcription and other pitfalls of written clothing records (1603-1715)
Paper 2 Lauren Martin - Hats and the headlines: Using newspaper archives to learn about the 19th century millinery industry
Paper 3 Marcelo Marino - Fast fashion: English and French fashion plates in early 19th century South America
Paper 4 Susan Brown - From page to stage: A mantua-maker's journal and the reconstruction of an 18th century theatrical workshop
Paper 5 Joanna Jarvis - Mrs. Frances Abington, actress (1737-1815): The construction of an actress as fashion icon through the newly accessible art of engravings
Paper 6 Stamos Fafalios and Myrsini Pichou - The ATOPOS cvc Paper Garment Collection: Where East meets West
Paper 7 Fiona Jardine - Muriel Spark's drycleaning
Paper 8 Guest Speaker Verity Wilson - "The most satisfactory material": Crepe paper and fancy dress
Paper 9 Guest Speaker Hannah Wroe - Couture or commerce? Following the paper trail to identify the House of Isobel
Paper 10 Felice McDowell - P.S. from Jill and Sally: Patterns for fashion and young female selfhood in the early pages of Petticoat magazine