The Phoenix Art Museum houses one of the finest
collections of American and European couture garments, shoes and
accessories in the nation.
The museum's 2007 exhibition, "Automotivated", explored the
influence of automotive design (streamlining) on fashion design
(form fitting) from the 1930's to the end of the 20th Century. The
link between automotive design and fashion design was boosted by
French couturiers who often worked with carmakers to create
matching ensembles for the car owners who sought to create the
ultimate luxury style statement.
One of the items featured in this exhibit was a new acquisition:
an off-white men's two piece wool and cotton blend suit from the
early to mid-1930's.
At the time of acquisition, the suit was in poor condition: the
fabric was highly acidic, the color was a dark brownish-yellow;
water and rust stains were visible everywhere, and it had a musty
smell. In summary, the suit displayed all the symptoms of poor care
and storage over a 75 year period.
After careful evaluation of her restoration options, Dennita
Sewell, Curator of Fashion Design at the Phoenix Art Museum, turned
to RAVE FabriCARE for help. Her instructions were simple: restore
the suit to it's original splendor.
The before and after photos reflect the transformation:
The results of our restoration efforts were on display at the
museum's Kelly Ellman Fashion Design Gallery from April 14 through
September 2, 2007. The suit in question can be seen in the photo
below (it's the 7th garment from the left with the carnation in the
lapel's button hole).
Cleaning so good it belongs in a museum. Really.
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