Rijksmuseum is curating Europeana Fashion Tumblr with a selection of pictures and looks from their latest exhibition “Catwalk Fashion at the Rijksmuseum”, curated by Erwin Olaf, which displays for the first time ever the costume collection of the Museum.

Since the 1870s the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam has collected costumes. The fashion collection totals 10,000 items, with men’s, women’s and children’s attire and accessories spanning the period from 1700 until 1960. In addition, the History Department owns the earliest Dutch costumes, worn in the seventeenth century by the Frisian branch of the Nassau family and by the Stadtholder and King William III. Being the oldest costumes collection in the country, acquisitions initially emphasized on the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but over time gradually expanded to include the first half of the twentieth century.

“Catwalk” fashion at the Rijksmuseum, Room 3, “Catwalk”. Photo: Carola van Wijk. All rights reserved.

All of the garments come from the wardrobes of upper-class Dutch men and women, but they were not necessarily made in the Netherlands. Foreign fashion houses and fabrics from all the leading textile-manufacturing countries around the world are amply represented. Acquisitions for the collection are based on historical significance, such as a post-war dress made of silk RAF pilots maps; design relevance, such as Yves Saint Laurent’s 1965 “Mondrian dress”; and costume-historical importance, such as a silk taffeta cocktail gown by Cristóbal Balenciaga dated 1951-1952. Most items were donated or bequeathed, supplemented with purchases. Because of the frailty of the material these are no permanently on show. The exhibition “Catwalk Fashion at the Rijksmuseum” explores the riches of the collection. The design was done by photographer and artist Erwin Olaf, who also made several works especially for the exhibition, wherein are featured costumes from the collection.

“Catwalk” fashion at the Rijksmuseum, Room 6, “Party!”. Photo: Carola van Wijk. All rights reserved.

This curation shows a selection of about 25 costumes that are currently on show. Prior to the exhibition all objects were photographed by the museum and ascostumes are 3D objects a single shot will not do them justice, hence a picture of the back and side as well as some details were always taken, showing the garments from other angles or in more detail. Visit every day Europeana Fashion’s Tumblr to find a new picture of this curation!

The exhibition will be on show through the 22nd of May. Read more about it on Europeana Fashion’s Blog or visit The Rijksmueum. Find also on Instagram the pictures taken by Europeana Fashion at the exhibition!