¿Que me pongo? El vestuario de Maria Brillas de Pedro Rodríguez
(What do I wear? Maria Brillas’ wardrobe by Pedro Rodríguez)

The complexity involved in the act of dressing is greater than we perceive at first glance. The Barcelona Design Museum (formerly DHUB-Disseny Hub Barcelona) reflects on its own identity through What do I wear? , an exhibition made up of about fifty pieces chosen from the donation of Maria Brillas, all made by Pedro Rodríguez, a great master of sewing in the twentieth century.

Recreating the daily experience of standing in front of the closet to choose which clothes to wear, this show aims to raise current issues by offering us the opportunity to explore the role of clothing in the construction of the own identity, the diversity of factors that we must consider when creating our image, or the autobiographical character that our wardrobe can acquire throughout life.

The pieces that make up the exhibition are part of a collection donated by Hilda Bencomo, granddaughter of Maria Brillas, at the Museum of Textiles and Clothing, and which consists of 341 pieces, 183 dresses and 158 accessories. This set recreates the original and rich world of references with which Pedro Rodríguez conceived his work, much of which is inscribed in capital letters in the world of Spanish sewing, in a brilliant career from 1919 to 1980 in Barcelona, Madrid and San Sebastián. The history of Maria Brillas through her costumes, created by Pedro Rodríguez, is part of the history of the city, and belongs to the Cultural Heritage of Catalonia and Spain.

Images courtesy of Museo del Diseño de Barcelona