Best of the Best: An exhibition of historic clothing at Hillestad Gallery
Released on 04/23/2012, at 2:00 AM
Office of University Communications
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
WHEN: Monday, May. 7, 2012, through Sep. 7, 2012
WHERE: Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery, 2nd Floor, Home Economics Building, 35th Street north of East Campus Loop
Pieces from the collection of Katie Best, an established historic clothing collector from Omaha, will be used to illustrate the evolution of women's roles in an exhibition, "Best of the Katie Best Collection," that opens May 7 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery.
The exhibition organized to showcase the Katie Best Collection in the Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design Department's Historic Costume Collection, will be on display through Sept. 7. A preview reception is 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 4 at the Home Economics Building, 35th Street north of East Campus Loop.
On June 10 at 2:30 p.m., Barbara Trout, professor of textiles, clothing and design at UNL, will present "The Collector and Her Mission," a slide presentation and commentary showing highlights of the Katie Best Collection in Room 11 of the Home Economics Building. A public reception will follow the presentation and the Historic Costume Collection will be open. All events are free and open to the public.
UNL graduate student Kristen Weber, in fulfillment of her master's degree, has identified four groupings of women's garments from the Katie Best collection within the Historic Costume Collection. These four groupings span the years 1880 through 1940 and illustrate the evolution of women's domestic, workplace, community and political roles. To further clarify and support the garment selections, images from middle class periodicals of the time such as Ladies Home Journal and Good Housekeeping were consulted. Twenty garments will be exhibited as well as reference and organizational materials Weber used to build her collection.
The Hillestad Gallery is on the second floor of the Home Economics Building and is part of the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design in the UNL College of Education and Human Sciences. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and by appointment. Admission is free. Guest parking is available near the building and metered stalls are located in the Nebraska East Union lot. For more information, call 402-472-2911 or visit http://textilegallery.unl.edu.
Writer: Wendy Weiss
News Release Contacts:
- wweiss1, , Textiles, Merchan & Fashion Design
phone: 4024722911
Associated Media Files:
- White printed cotton dress, circa 1880s. Katie Best, donor. Courtesy of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design Department. Photographer: Orville Friesen.
- Brown business dress, circa 1895. Katie Best, donor. Courtesy of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design Department. Photographer: Orville Friesen.
- Lingerie dress, circa 1880s. Katie Best, donor. Courtesy of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design Department. Photographer: Orville Friesen.