The ROM goes BIG with Fashion and Textiles

Take the elevator to the 4th level directly, at the Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles and Costume, “BIG” is on exhibition. This exhibition highlights “BIG’s” in the fashion and textile history. Each pieces are BIG in its design, uniqueness and, of course, price tag, giving a fine portrait of costumes through history.
Website: ROM - BIG

This Christian Dior dress is BIG in design and textiles. By using thousands of meters of fabrics, the designer precisely composed each layer together, well-demonstrating the famous “structure” in a Dior dress.

A Yves Saint Laurent dress by Tom Ford. This is one of the only three produced. The design was inspired by Chinese dragon robes.

This is from Alexander McQueen, my beloved designer. I apologize for the low quality of my camera. (My Nikon got broken in Europe.) Romanticism inspired by music of Handel’s Sarabande, Prancisco de goya portraits (1746 - 1828), the film Barry Lyndon (1975), the eccentric heiress, Marchesa Casati (1881 - 1957).

Maison Martin Margiela’s zipper vest showing the utilization of objects in fashion.

The Emperor’s dragon robe from 18th century China. Yellow represents royal and prosperity in China. You can spot clouds (sky), waves (sea) and mountains (land) which symbolizing the emperor’s authority over all creation.

These are for ancient Chinese women’s bounded feet.

Korean knots with fine jewels.

My favorite piece of the exhibition, a feather tunic made during the late Intermediate Period in Peru. This precious piece was made of bird feathers and transported from the Amazon.

An adinkra wrapper from Ghana. The symbols are chanting “like the star, I rest with God and do not depend on myself”. Nowadays, adinkra are worn as a sign of motherland pride.

Jardiniere velvet from Genoa, Italy reflecting a sense of Baroque.

I took some time at the crystal gallery. Here are some pictures:

- diamonds displayed like a colour spectrum

- Tanzanite: Do you know tanzanite are reddish-brown in their natural state. Under extreme heat, it turn into this beautiful blue and purple colours. The brooch on the left is 48.00 cts. The two mixed cuts stones are 26.90 cts and 13.25 cts respectively. The top one is a natural crystal. The brooch on the right is a gift from Tiffany & Co., 11.93 cts.

- Actually located in the Asian gallery. These are hat spheres from Qing Dynasty of China. They are made of varied materials, representing the ranks of the governors.