A manual and guide for preserving unique materials in fashion such as rayon, paper, and plasticsContinuous innovation and experimentation with the materials used in constructing textiles, apparel, and accessories creates an ever-growing challenge for professional curators and collectors. Recognizing problematic fibers, dyes, finishes, and fabric and yarn constructions is crucial for maintaining objects' appearance, minimizing deterioration, and isolating those that are potentially harmful to other objects. A comprehensive guide to problematic 20th-century textiles, Conservation Concerns in Fashion Collections provides a manual for the identification, care, and damage reduction of seven different categories of objects and textiles. Robust in their research, Kelly L. Reddy-Best and Margaret Ordonez guide readers through the damaging properties of various materials such as adhesives and nylon fibers and provide textile-specific cleaning and storage advice. Even as they provide such details, Reddy-Best and Ordonez ensure that the manual is easy to navigate as an essential reference, including scores of photographs to illustrate each topic. From environmental concerns to exhibition problems, this guide stands apart for its exhaustiveness, creating a singular guide to 20th-century textile and garment queries. The authors combine information from contemporary publications and interviews of textile experts to provide readers with important information on the aging properties of and best conservation practices for unstable 20th-century apparel, accessories, and textiles. Conservation Concerns in Fashion Collections is perfect for undergraduate textile students and experienced curators alike, considering both the history and preservation of such items.
Kelly L. Reddy-Best is associate professor in apparel, merchandising, and design at Iowa State University and the curator and director of ISU's Textiles and Clothing Museum. Her work has appeared in many journals, including Fashion Theory, Dress, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, and Journal of Lesbian Studies. Dr. Margaret T. Ordonez is the founder of Ordonez Textile Conservation Services, where she has been conserving objects for the Tennessee State Museum, the Kentucky Museum, and private clients. She also works as the copy editor for Dress: The Journal of the Costume Society of America. She is professor emeritus of textiles, fashion merchandising, and design at University of Rhode Island.
"Conservation Concerns in Fashion Collections is simple, concise, practical, and clearly structured. The authors appreciate the issues facing collections of dress, especially those in smaller institutions without easy access to conservation and scientific expertise. The awareness... of the complexities of long-term preservation are realistic and frank, and clearly rooted in the authors' own experiences." -Costume Journal "This book is a user-friendly guide and a go-to reference that will be continuously reached for by students, professionals, and private collectors." -Elizabeth Way, Associate Curator, The Museum at FIT, author of Black Designers in American Fashion "Because of their innovative constructions, materials, and finishes, 20th-century clothing can be as challenging to preserve as garments from hundreds of years earlier. This book will serve as a valuable resource for anyone charged with conserving, storing, and exhibiting vulnerable 20th-century fashion collections." -Linda Baumgarten, author of What Clothes Reveal: The Language of Clothing in Colonial and Federal America. "This book should be on the reference shelf of anyone in the cultural heritage field who is responsible for costume, costume accessories and textiles collections."-M. Geiss-Mooney, costume/textile conservator "This book is an invaluable resource for all caretakers of fashion collections, including conservators, collection managers, curators, archivists, registrars, dealers, collectors, and more." -Sarah Scaturro, Eric and Jane Nord Chief Conservator, Cleveland Museum of Art and former Head Conservator, The Costume Institute, Metropolitan Museum of Art
