Maker Monday: The Royal Society of Needlework Exhibition at the Fashion and Textiles Museum

I had a wonderful visit to The Royal Society of Needlework Exhibition - 'Crown to Catwalk' in June at the Fashion and Textiles Museum in London. 

I have always admired the handcrafted delicacy of embroidery and this exhibition was an excellent showcase of the 150 years of skills and craftmanship that they have imparted to designers and makers. 

Originally established as the School of Art Needlework in 1872 by Lady Victoria Welby, the exhibition shows samples, photographs and drawings from its early years. Looking at the intricacy of the drawings, its remarkable that a drawing so detailed could be recreated in stitch, particularly with the limited tools and technology of the time. One of the lovely things about the exhibition is that it highlights its relationship with the Royal Family. 

A few key pieces were on show; two from the coronations of both King Edward VII in 1902 and King George VI in 1937, and another showing the lace embroidery featured on Kate Middleton's (now the Princess of Wales) wedding dress in 2011; all on loan from the Royal Family

The Gold Mantle or Pallium below (1902) was created at the request of Princess Helena who instead of weaving the motifs into the mantle, she wanted them to be embroidered by the RSN (Royal Society of Needlework) in their workrooms. 

In contrast to the gold silk, the Robe of Estate of Queen Elizabeth (Queen Consort of King George VI) in 1937 featured the deepest purple-coloured velvet (a colour associated with high social rank and status), trimmed with ermine fur and embroidered with the four flowers of the United Kingdom and many other flora from other regions of the Commonwealth. 

A more modern Royal contribution was the RSN Studios embellishment on the tulle for Kate Middleton's wedding Dress. 

Sarah Burton, the creative director of Alexander McQueen asked the RSN to embellish the tulle that featured in her gown. As it was a time critical project, multiple tutors and students worked around the clock to create this delicate piece. Each person sworn to secrecy and their hard work only revealed when Kate arrived at Westminster Abbey. 

The exhibits evolve nicely in themes but also in years. Some of the modern incarnations of the samples and drawings from recent years are also on show and demonstrate the excellent attention to detail of the students trained there. It was nice to see that these wonderful, handcrafted techniques haven't been lost. 

Take a look at some of the lovely examples in the gallery below:

There were also some abstract pieces that featured towards the end of the exhibition from the last decade. 

Firstly, this wonderful installation called '1001 Nights (The Dark Self)' by conceptual artist Susan Aldworth (2017). Aldworth asked the RSN students to embroider into pillowcases for the installation and it has since toured across Europe. Although only a snapshot of this installation was on display, in its full format the piece is much larger, featuring the work of 414 embroiderers depicting their sleep stories and dreams. You can read more about the project here: The Dark Self, 2017 - Susan Aldworth

Then came the main reason i wanted to see this exhibition...The Red Dress Project. 

Starting in 2010, The Red Dress Project was the brainchild of Kirstie Macleod, and has given female platforms and communities from around the world the opportunity to tell their personal stories through embroidery. 84 panels embroidered from 29 different countries (and counting!) have been combined to create this unique project, and so far, over 250 different embroiders have left their mark on the piece. 

This dress is one of the most beautifully crafted pieces that i've ever seen. The personality of the women who added their own 'stamps' to the piece can be felt through each stitch and symbol; each so varied that it makes the garment truly unique. The small sheep near the hemline is possibly one of my favourites! More details about the dress can be seen here: The Red Dress (reddressembroidery.com)

The dress is continuing to tour the globe so if you get a chance to see this dress, or any of the wonderful work of the Royal Society of Needlework, i highly recommend a visit! Visit their website to find out more: Royal School of Needlework | Centre of Excellence in Hand Embroidery (royal-needlework.org.uk)