By the turn of the 20th century,
when touring the European continent was fashionable for wealthy Americans, transatlantic
travel became luxurious to suit those “gilded age” patrons. Ocean liners like
Cunard’s RMS Aquitania, The French
Line’s S.S. France, and White Star
Line’s RMS Olympic were synonymous with extravagance and glamour.
Now through May 13, 2018, the
exhibition at Biltmore House represents the extensive wardrobes preferred by intercontinental
travelers like George and Edith Vanderbilt in the early 1900s. Visitors will
learn more about the Vanderbilts’ worldwide travels while viewing 45 of the
award-winning “Titanic” costumes, evoking the era’s gilded lifestyle.
Since first-class passengers strolled
the promenade decks, had tea in richly-decorated lounges, and dined at elegant
formal dinners (all dressed-to-the-nines in different outfits for each occasion),
costume designer Deborah Lynn Scott and her team had hundreds of garments to
recreate and authentically accessorize—down to the proper collar studs and cuff
links for the men, and corsets and hatpins for the ladies. (Recreating the hats
alone became a “titanic” task!) Scott’s design team scoured international antique
markets to find as many original period garments as possible; other ensembles
were custom made from original patterns of the era, embellished with vintage
beadwork and appliques.
Entrance to “Glamour on Board: Fashion from Titanic the Movie” at Biltmore is included in the general
admission ticket price. However, a limited number of special-ticket guided
tours are available, taking you behind-the-scenes of the glamorous period! ~
[Reprinted from my article in the Spring issue of SEASON magazine. Images of the costume exhibition inside Biltmore House above courtesy of The Biltmore Company.]
Click here for other Titanic Fashion Happenings!
No comments:
Post a Comment