Over the years I’ve had the honor to inventory, pack and care for some of the most incredible performance textile collections Las Vegas has to offer – the pinnacles being the Liberace and Folies Bergère costume collections.
Previous to that, I had some experience with handling, exhibition and storage of Guatemalan huipils and historic rugs at UNLV’s Barrick Museum – but when I was hired to inventory and pack the Liberace Museum’s varied collections post-closure, I felt I needed to expand my knowledge and step up my game.
Enter “An Illustrated Guide to the Care of Costume and Textile Collections” graciously posted as a free resource by Collections Trust in the UK. One of my favorite invaluable overviews – I’ve since shared this document with Nevada State Museum interns and many projects with textile collections such as the Junior League / Morelli House and Walking Box Ranch. I am happy to continue to share it here!
Regarding mounting costumes for photography or exhibition, there is another terrific free resource from Dress and Textile Specialists / Arts Council England “Mounting Historic Dress for Display” – produced to accompany a two-part course of the same name held at The Clothworkers’ Centre for the Study and Conservation of Textiles and Fashion, V&A, London, and also at the Fashion Museum, Bath and at the Gallery of Costume, Manchester.
Each textile collection presents unique materials and challenges for storage as well as exhibit. If you have any questions, project or workshop needs – feel free to contact us at any time. We’re always here to help!