Thu 9/21 @ 6-8PM
The Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical Society has an enviable fashion collection — one of the country’s largest collections of historic costume and textiles of all eras and types, from couture to mall fashion. So a staggering range of shows can be mounted with those resources.
This week it opens a new show called Fashion After Dark, put together by Curator of Costume and Textiles Patty Edmonson. Using the Hay-McKinney Mansion’s period rooms, it will recreate the evening setting of a Euclid Avenue mansion in the late 19th century, mimicking the period’s lighting to illuminate scenes of dressing, dining, entertaining and even the servants’ activities.
“In the 19th century, gaslight and early electricity brought eveningwear to life in an otherworldly way,” they tell us. “Daylight stood in such stark contrast that some shops even offered specially lit rooms for choosing silks, and style writers recommended the best colors and fabrics for gaslight in particular.”
The show debuts with a grand opening ceremony on Thursday September 21. It wll feature drinks, appetizers, live music, tours of the exhibit and remarks by Edmonson. Get tickets here. The show will be on view through June 30, 2024.