A few weeks ago we visited Lingerie, zo zacht als zij at the Museum voor Industriele Archeologie en Textiel (MIAT) in Gent. The exhibition was about 100 years of lingerie in Belgium.
Sadly I was only able to take a few photographs. but fortunately they are of exhibits from my favourite period.
This sweet little bra is made from a lovely blue floral cotton and dates to the 1930s.
This very delicate and flimsy bra is from the 1930s and made from imitation crochet.
It seemed a little strange to find an advertising board for knitting yarn in the middle of a lingerie exhibiton but there is a connection. The Eskimo company produces the cotton interlock fabric used for under garments.
These were the only home-made garments I spotted. The knitted camisole is from the period 1930s. It must have been well used. At some point the right shoulder strap appears to have been completely re-knitted. The tension and yarn are slightly different to the rest of the garment.
The bra is also from the 1930s. The cups have been crocheted using an English treble with the under-band knitted in an extremely fine yarn. The straps are made from ribbon.
The book is open at the pages showing a pattern for knitted ladies knickers!
For me, the most charming and fascinating parts of the exhibition were the table of mannequins and the wall of corsets.
The Velba mannequin was about a metre tall with very long legs!
The corsets are from the period 1930-1940. Can you spot the corset for the pregnant lady?
It's this one!
The exhibition has now closed, but the two books which accompanied the exhibition, Lingerie, zo zacht als zij Deel 1 and Deel 2 by Sabrine De Groote are still available from the museum shop. They are only available in Dutch but there are plenty of wonderful photographs.
with love
Flame Lily
