A breezy summer dress from the age of Dillinger. This photo was shared with the researchers for Public Enemies.
I love period films and the details, in my opinion, are what make them shine. Shooting on location and paying attention to the setting can bring astonishing authenticity to a movie based on real events, or on a particular era in history. But maybe the most crucial aspect of period films are the clothes.
Today another in a long line of period films set in Gangland-era Chicago opens nation-wide: Public Enemies, a film about the legendary criminal John Dillinger. Dillinger, played here by Johnny Depp, was a bank robber during the Great Depression who was famous for his charisma and daring ways. But it was his death that catapulted Dillinger into the realm of legend; he was killed during a shoot-out with the FBI in the alley behind the Biograph Theater on Lincoln Avenue. The movie is an opportunity to re-create an infamous moment in Chicago’s life. The film’s production crew wanted to get it right—so they came to us for assistance. We showed them clothing from that era, talked about which stores were popular, and paged through catalogs from Marshall Field’s. It was a fun project.
FashioNext went to NeoCon! As part of the Museum’s partnership with Brentano Fabrics, the FashioNext finalists’ gowns were on display in the main lobby at this year’s NeoCon World’s Trade Fair at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart from June 15-17.
Iris Wang, co-owner of Brentano, describes NeoCon as “Christmas for the interior design industry.” The fair features architects, designers, and other exhibitors from the interior design field showcasing new products and projects. This year, 40,000+ people from around the world were expected to attend NeoCon and FashioNext had prime placement. The display paired the designers’ garments with contemporary chairs from Andreu World that were upholstered in complementary fabrics from Brentano. The combination successfully fused fashion with furniture design and showed off the talents of our three finalists.
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Have you been to the Chicago History Museum lately? For a few brief weeks we have an unprecedented happenstance in our midst—the most costume pieces we’ve ever displayed at one time. Chic Chicago: Couture Treasures from the Chicago History Museum closes on July 26th, and on May 24th we premiered Bertha Honoré Palmer.
Mrs. Palmer left behind an incredible wardrobe, filled with stunning garments that are also incredibly challenging to transport around the museum. These gowns are dripping with beads and trimmings, feature lengthy trains, and in one case the fabric is woven out of metal. Preparing the mannequins and installing them in the gallery was no mean feat, but the opulence is worth the effort.
All challenges aside, it was good fun. Here’s a little slide show of behind-the-scenes images from the exhibition installation. Hope you enjoy! And be sure to stop by the museum before Chic Chicago closes; this is a rare opportunity to see so many amazing garments gracing our galleries.
June 18th, 2009by Peter Alter Filed under: Exhibitions
One of my favorite objects in the exhibition Lincoln Treasures is the inkstand on display in a case near the White House piano.
I like the inkstand for a couple of reasons. First, I have my own interest in the part of the world where it originated. Second and more importantly, I believe the inkstand symbolizes how the Civil War spread beyond the country’s borders. We believe Lincoln received it from “His Imperial Majesty the Sultan of the Ottoman [Turkish] empire” after the two countries signed a trade treaty in 1862. This agreement not only reaffirmed a pre-existing treaty, but also established that the Ottomans would catch and hold Confederate pirates in Ottoman waters.
While preparing the exhibition, I also learned some of the basics of 1800s ink stands. Lincoln would have used it by dipping his pen tip into an ink well held by the stand. Then, he would have used the pen to write. It was a relatively messy process compared to writing with most modern pens.
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