Costume Gallery Pitti Palace

Costume Gallery Pitti Palace

The costume gallery is in the Meridiana of the Pitti Palace that was begun under Grand Duck Pietro Leopoldo in 1776 and ended in 1840. The exhibition of the collection of historical clothes and accessories cover the period between the 18^th century and the present-day.

We follow the history of the clothing; people always have wanted to change the image of the body and alter its dimensions. In the history the new shape develop of some economic, policy or moral reason were repeated times over the course of time. From the 17^th century, women clothes the characteristic is to divide the clothes into several parts, each part independently, then assembled together to make the final look. Therefore, on the composition and the distinct medieval is different from middle-century. The silhouette of the garment shows distinctive buildings constructed.  

Look from exterior, nearly a century clothing have a common characteristic, namely gender extreme differentiation, exaggeration and stressed that the sex difference form the pattern of gender differentiation. With men's clothing more than half the volume of changes relative to the center, women's clothing, under the bust volume change as the center of all shapes.

After the First World War (1914--1918), women's clothing in particular under went revolutionary changes. One of the most important influences was the movement towards equal status for women. A newer, more business-like type of woman emerged and made corresponding demands on clothing. The distortion of corset was no longer desired. Exaggeration of the female form was abjured and more freedom for the legs was demanded. The result was the simplified loose, shift dress and short skirts. The loosely swirling dropped waist was emphasized by a belt or sash. Above all, daywear was practical and comfortable. Casual fabrics such as knits and affordable artificial silk in muted colors were preferred. On the other hand, evening dress was composed with striking materials in bright color and more feminine details such as swinging flared or pleated skirts and trimmings of pearls, sequins, or fringes.

The scarcity of resources during the Second World War  (1939--1945) affected the fashion world. Clothing, like so many other commodities, was rationed and styles be- come shorter and tighter. The number of pleats in a woman's dress was restricted and the maximum with of the sleeve, collar, and belts prescribed. Embroidery, furs, and leather trims were all prohibited. Dresses and skirts covered the knee and were cut relatively narrow.

In the course of 1990's, dramatic changes took place. The major creative movements in fashion were inspired as much as the boundaries be-tween the street as the catwalk increasingly blurred the two fields. The important fashion development in 1990's was materials used. New fabrics like synthetic fibers layered cotton looking like leather, presented seventies style dress in a new form. The key look was mixing and layering  combining garments such as shrunken cardigans and dresses worn over trousers, clashing color such as cerise and orange and multitudinous forms of decoration, including velvet trims, embroidered motifs, mirror appliques and minuscule floral or paisley prints. Key stylistic elements of this movement-included funnel necked parkas, oversized combat trousers and the one-strap rucksack.

Chris. Li Shuo