National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus



"Fashion Age" exhibition

  • 15.09.2017

September 15, 2017, the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus (K. Marx, 12) will open a unique exhibition "Fashion Age", which will feature historical costumes from the world's largest private collection of Alexander Vasilyev – famous fashion historian, art historian, collector, theater artist, author of books and articles on this subject, TV presenter of the program "Fashion Judgement".

The exposition of clothes and accessories, covering the period of the late 19th and the entire 20th century, consists of more than 100 incredible costumes and several hundred various accessories, jewelry and adornment. Original historical costumes, created with high tailoring skills and delicate taste, will take you to a time when clothing was a work of art.

Visitors to the exhibition will be able to see unique things: outfits from famous couturiers and fashion houses such as Paul Poiret, Coco Chanel, Mariano Fortuni, Yves Saint Laurent and other masters. Among the exhibits there are evening and ball dresses, clothes for solemn ceremonies and holidays, costumes belonging to famous actors of the theater and cinema.

Every thing at the exhibition "Fashion Age" eloquently tells about the period of its creation. Harmonious and elegant outfits of the late 19th century will change significantly at the beginning of the 20th century, and the main reform of the women's dress – release from the corset – will happen thanks to the Parisian couturier Paul Poiret. The refined aesthetics of the "Belle Epoque" fashion (the first decade of the 20th century) that came to this end will be interrupted in 1914 with the outbreak of the First World War and will be replaced by the convenience and practicality of the post–war costume. Then comes the eclectic style of art deco of the 1920s and emancipation, which gave women new freedom in clothing. Next – the elegant 30th under the leadership of couturier Elzy Skiaparelli and the appearance of "fashion" photography; then – the tragic 40–s with an emphasis on simplicity of appearance and military motives.

The last great decade of High Fashion – the 50s – passed under the sign of Christian Dior, Cristobal Balenciaga, Salvatore Ferragamo and New Look. This was followed by the minimalism and futurism of the 60s (Pierre Cardin, Yves Saint Laurent, Emilio Pucci, Paco Raban), and the freedom of the 70s, expressed in unisex, hippy, glam–rock, disco styles (Guy Laroche, Kenzo Takada ). Then came the crazy 80s with bright colors and an explosive desire for self–expression; and, of course, the 1990s, with all the principles of the fashion industry changing, and clothing that paradoxically combines functionality with deliberate theatricality and colorfulness (Alexander McQueen, Issey Miyake, Jean Paul Gaultier).

The exhibition will be of interest to a wide audience with no age limit (0+).

«Fashion Age» exhibition

National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus Minsk, K.Marx, 12 | Tel. 327 43 22