“Florals for spring? Groundbreaking,” scoffs Miranda Priestly, the fictional fashion editor in The Devil Wears Prada. Despite Miranda Priestly’s scorn, this very universality makes flowers a fascinating subject and the Underpinnings Museum’s new online exhibition will explore how and why flowers are used particularly often in lingerie design.
“Silken Petals: Flowers, Femininity, and Lingerie,” guest-curated by Caroline Elenowitz-Hess, draws on the Underpinnings Museum’s permanent collection to explore the ways that flowers have been used as design motifs in undergarments from the 18th century to today. Highlights of the exhibition include embroidered garters from the 18th and 19th centuries, cheeky souvenir lingerie from the 1940s and contemporary reinterpretations of the sensuality of flowers.
The Underpinnings Museum is an online museum dedicated to the history of underwear. The goal of the project is to provide free access to an oft-neglected area of fashion study. It was founded in 2016 following a successful crowdfunding campaign. Its team members are located across Norway, the UK and Austria, and the project is free to access globally.
Images: The Underpinnings Museum & photography by Tigz Rice.
