Embellished: Adornment Through the Ages

SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film presents “Embellished: Adornment Through the Ages,” a chronicle of European and American fashion represented by hats, accessories and curios. This momentous exhibition presents a survey of adornment, from the lavish embellishments of the mid-18th century and the Belle Époque, to the sophisticated elegance of the years during and following the world wars.

“Embellished: Adornment Through the Ages” is the first SCAD FASH exhibition to focus exclusively on the evolution of fashion. In addition to the captivating array of styles by Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli, the House of Balenciaga and French fashion icon Christian Dior, nearly all of the items on view appear courtesy of world-renowned Italian fashion professor and collector Raffaello Piraino. This exhibition marks the U.S. debut of selected pieces from the legendary Raffaello Piraino Collection, which is housed in Palermo, Italy, and consists of more than 5,000 ornate garments and accessories that belonged to the Sicilian aristocracy and bourgeoisie.

Headwear, such as a 1830s Florentine high drawn straw bonnet, a 1920s felt helmet cloche with silk embroidery and an early 20th century military felucca hat, is featured with a host of other accessories, including interchangeable shoe buckles from the early 1700s, ornate parasols and a finger stretcher for shaping leather gloves. Vintage magazines, a miniature fashion doll and historically significant pieces from the SCAD Permanent Collection complement these treasures, providing extensive insight into economic, cultural and political fashion history.

Images © SCAD FASHION Museum of Fashion + Film.