50 Shades of Red - Totnes Fashion and Textiles Museum

By: Alison Alexander
Added: 17 May 2016

Our 2016 Exhibition 50 Shades of Red is now open

This year Totnes Fashion and Textiles Museum celebrates its 50^th year with a new exhibition called ‘Fifty Shades of Red’, opening this week in Bogan House opposite the market square.

It was in 1966 that Paula Morel, Annette Morel and Peter Clapham, all friends from Dartington Playgoers, put their private collections together to form the Devonshire Collection of Period Costume. In the early days they put on a series of fashion shows, but demand to see the Collection became so great that a permanent home was sought. Today the museum is fully accredited by the Arts Council and is still, as always, run entirely by volunteers.

Each winter the core team of volunteers pack down the previous year’s exhibition and prepare an entirely new themed show for the summer season. Hon. Curator Julia Fox said, “Red seemed a good choice of colour for our celebratory year, as it has always been popular with both men and women throughout history, from the subtlest pink, through crimson and scarlet, to the deepest burgundy and maroon.”

Garments from a magnificent deep pink evening dress from the 1770s through to present day fashions are all on display, complemented by gold jewellery, shoes and evening bags.

The museum’s rooms and display cases are further decorated this year by a number of beautifully crafted artificial flower arrangements in shades of red, made for the museum by embroidery and craft groups from Totnes and across the region. Some of the charity shops in town will also celebrate with the Fashion and Textiles museum by having red window displays in the opening week.

In July Richard Clark will host an evening of words and music in the Seven Stars Hotel on the themes of red and fashion.

The exhibition was opened by Louise de Ville Morel, granddaughter of one of the founders, at a private view on Sunday 15th May 2016