After many weeks of closure, the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden https://www.friesmuseum.nl/ has put together a great exhibition for lovers of fashion history. “Haute Bordure” (21.04.2021 – 18.07.2021) presents the history of embroidery, but only the part of it that concerns modern secular clothing. The oldest exhibits date back to the end of the 17th century and include women’s, men’s and children’s clothes, shoes, headgear, handbags, scarves and umbrellas, and even gloves and stockings. In brief – there is a lot to look at and admire, especially that the vast majority of embroideries are hand-made.
The exhibition is not overwhelming in size, but it is comprehensive and researched well enough to provide valuable information, aesthetic impressions, and perhaps inspire some to start their own experiments with a needle and thread.
The direct impulse to organise it is the growing popularity of embroidery and related decorative techniques in contemporary fashion, as illustrated by the excellent work of Dutch designers such as Jan Taminiau or Viktor&Rolf.
Embroidery has a centuries-old tradition and it is safe to say that it has accompanied man almost since he learned to dress himself. It is believed that it was created when our ancestors began to sew the first clothes from animal skins. Then it turned out that stitches can also have a decorative function, and additional stitches strengthen leather, decorate and individualize clothes. Some sources claim that embroidery was already known 30 thousand years ago, which is confirmed by the fossil remains of richly decorated clothes. Most scholars agree that embroidery first appeared in China and the Middle East, but later excavations show that various embroidery techniques were known throughout the world, from Scandinavia to North Africa and South America. Some of the oldest surviving examples of embroidery come from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun and can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
In Europe embroidery appeared in the 9th century and its popularity grew significantly around 1000, partly due to the spread of Christianity and the appearance of richly decorated liturgical garments. Royal courts also fell in love with it, often ordering hanging fabrics or tablecloths. It is impossible not to mention the famous Bayeux fabric or Opus Anglicanum, items embroidered by specialized guilds of embroiderers in England, using gold and silver thread. Their extremely precisely made works decorated courts and temples, often being a luxurious and very desirable gift. Their popularity peaked between 1180 and 1350.
Hardly anyone knows that historians today study embroidery also from the point of view of the autobiographical information it contains. Made by women, many of whom did not have the opportunity to learn to read and write, embroidery was an opportunity to tell their story or to manifest their views, as A. Mary Murphy writes in her work “The Theory and Practice of Counting Stiches as Stories: Material Evidence of Autobiography in Needlework “.
The exhibition in Leeuwarden focuses on the period from the end of the 17th century up to the present day, when embroidery was firmly integrated into the world of fashion. Richly embroidered clothes, additionally decorated with pearls or sequins, were a sign of the owner’s high social status, because such embroidery was very time-consuming. It was at that time when embroidery on shoes, caps and bags began with enthusiasm, and beautiful silk waistcoats and jackets, which are the most recognizable element of men’s fashion of the 18th century, were embroidered not by women but by professional embroiderers – men.
In addition to beautiful, extravagant men’s jackets, we can admire court dresses from the 18th and 19th centuries, a beautiful collection of garments made of white fabrics – cotton or silk decorated with delicate white embroidery, made in various techniques. Among the exhibits you will also find various accessories: women’s and men’s bonnets, letter and document cases – a gift from a loving wife to her husband, with a very personal statement embroidered on the front. It is worth stopping for a longer moment at a display case with a pair of wedding gloves. The beautiful embroidery on the cuff above the wrist is not only pleasing to the eye, but is an assurance of great love and expresses the hope for mutual happiness.
There are more contemporary dresses, from different decades of the 20th century, those worn by Queen Wilhelmina, Queen Beatrix or Maxima on family and state occasions. Finally, there are examples of traditional Frisian folk costumes, in which embroidery is a very important element and carrier of information, as it is in almost all folk costumes from different parts of the world.
To sum up, the “Haute Bordure” exhibition conveys the message of the universality and egalitarianism of embroidery, even though we so often admire it in the context of luxury items. We can find it both in women’s and men’s fashion, in court and folk costumes, it is not ascribed to any age group, but it is – at least theoretically – available to everyone, because even if you cannot buy it, you can try your hand at making it yourself. Besides, it is an excellent way to update and make more attractive a piece of clothing, to make it exceptional, unique and expressing the individuality of its owner. The popularity of embroidery certainly contributes to the interest in handicrafts and it is an activity that promotes relaxation and meditation.
It should take about 1.5 hours to thoroughly explore the exhibit, including taking photos. I highly recommend it!
The Fries Museum is located in the center of Leeuwarden, coming by car it is best to park in the underground Parkeergarage Zaailand, which is almost under the museum building. Leeuwarden is a beautiful city with very interesting architecture. If time permits, take a walk through the historic centre.
