14 April

The Art of Royal Dress

Trustee Kate Strasdin, Senior Lecturer in Cultural Studies at the University of Falmouth, will give an illustrated talk about the choices which royal ladies have made in order to be photographed or painted.

Birdwood House, 3 pm

24 March

Textile printing

Caroline Hall talked about her life as a textile designer and printer, and her studios in London, Botswana and Totnes.

25 February

Celebrating Ten Years of Costume Production at Arts University Plymouth

Marie Dunaway is Senior Lecturer at the Arts University Plymouth and Course Leader of the Costume Production and Associated Crafts course.

Her students have been using the Devonshire Collection of Period Costume as their historic research facility since 2014. Over the course of this period, the course has gone from strength to strength and students have created amazing pieces for film, theatre, ballet and opera.

27 November

Photos & Fashion: Totnes Clothes in Transition 1930–2000

This special joint event with Totnes Image Bank at Totnes Cinema told the story of clothes in transition. Starting with 1930s peacetime, local events were shown alongside the evolution in fashion and textiles and were commented upon by Curator Julia Fox and the Image Bank’s Derek Meacher. We saw what Totnesians wore, why, and if their clothes were influenced by High Fashion and textiles of the day.

15 October

Restoration of the Collection’s 17th Century Gauntlets

Morwena Stephens gives an account of her restoration of the Collection’s treasured 17th century gauntlets.

24 September

Lost Lace of the East Devon Coast

Carol McFadzean gave an illustrated talk about trolly lace, a type of hand-made lace used to decorate the edges of collars, cuffs and flounces. It was a speciality of East Devon for at least 400 years until the mid-19th century.

11 June

Rationed Fashion: Utility and Wartime Chic

Julia Fox gives an illustrated talk on Utility fashion of the 1940s.

16 April

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes – Secrets from a Victorian Woman’s Wardrobe

Former deputy curator and now trustee Dr. Kate Strasdin offers new insights from her latest book (published in February 2023).

12 March

Hair and Wigs in Ancient Egypt

Egyptologist Pam Scott explores the ways in which the ancient Egyptians styled their hair and characteristic wigs, and the important role that hair played in this remarkable culture.

12 February

The Tailor of Gloucester

Honorary curator Julia Fox talks about 18th century gentlemen’s waistcoats.

March

18th Century Dress

Due to restrictions on social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic, honorary curator Julia Fox was not able to deliver this lecture. However, we present here some of the material she planned to talk about.