March 12 – April 24 – Fashion History Museum, Hespler May 2nd to 6th – Seneca College, Newnham Campus at The Boutique, B2024. This year’s annual Fashion Resource Centre spring exhibition is another first for Seneca College! Last year our friends at the Fashion History Museum (FHM), Jonathan Walford and Kenn Norman, contacted me about the…
Tag: Seneca College
New Year, New You?
By Dale Peers, One of the many advantages of working in an academic institution is a minimum of at least two New Years! We have the academic year which traditionally begins in September as well as the calendar year. This gives us the opportunity to have fresh experiences and new beginnings in general and more…
Through the Looking Glass: Servants’ Appearance – a Reflection of the Upper Classes
by Rhonda Roth, Collections Librarian, Seneca College Mr. Carson, Mr. Barrow and Mrs. Patmore to name a few of our favourite characters/servants in the television show Downton Abbey (now, sadly in its last season) tell us a great deal about their position in society, without uttering a single word. One simply has to observe what…
It’s a Rarity
By Dale Peers, What qualifies as rare in fashion? Is it the singular genius of a designer’s work? Is it the incredible delicacy of hand embroidered cotton or lace? Is it the one-of-a-kind couture garment? We certainly have our share of beautifully designed, constructed and embellished garments in The Fashion Resource Centre Collection. And many…
Slow Down Fast Fashion
By Dale Peers, Browsing through a magazine today, I came across what is not really news, nor a really a new movement but one that has become more a part of the way we are choosing to eat. The article discussed the concepts of dining close to where the chef has a farm, or “farm-to-table”…
Canadian Fashion Museums
By Dale Peers, About 45 minutes from Toronto and housed in the town’s original Post office the Fashion History Museum will open the end of June 2017 in the town of Hespler. Jonathan Walford and Kenn Norman have been working on this labour of love of all things fashion history for at least 10 years,…
Silver is the New Black
Another opportunity to invite everyone into the Fashion Resource Centre has come and gone. And judging by the responses we received in our guest book and from emails, one week just isn’t long enough. An enthusiastic group of supporters enjoyed their first visit to this exhibit celebrating our 25 years. I would like to thank…
Easter Bonnets, Parades and the Fashionable Arrival of Spring
Spring has indeed arrived and the latest flowers which have sprung can be found on the Newnham campus in the Fashion Resource Centre window. A selection of over 40 hats is currently on display in the fourth floor hallway in D building, in celebration of Easter Bonnets. The history of Easter finery in particular has…
Be-gone Blizzards
By Dale Peers, Be-gone Blizzardy weather! Let’s bring on the Beach! The current display in our Fashion Resource Centre window at the Newnham Campus of Seneca College was inspired by the coldest February on record. The thing about Canadian weather is that a) it is a frequent topic of conversation b) it changes rapidly and…
Waist Management
By Dale Peers, If you can’t wait until spring arrives to throw off your heavy clothes you might like to examine what lurked under some of the layers worn by our predecessors. During the month of February, in our Fashion History classroom we are progressing through the 19th century and studying the “etiquette” of dressing….