From Rationing to Ravishing, currently on display at the Museum of Vancouver, shows key couture pieces from the pre-war, post-war, and wartime eras, and focuses on how designers’ creations changed during these eras. While this may be the description given by the museum, we feel that the exhibit is not a story about the clothes, but a story of the rise of the fabulous independent woman.
The exhibit begins with a brief introduction to the ’30s, when outfits were practical and sentimental, just like the women wearing them. Having had their roaring ’20s truncated by the Great Depression, these women opted for slim waists, pouffed shoulders and a flattering and sensible A-line skirt. However, as World War II rolled in without caution, this one-toned reality of fashion for women was pushed away.
Out the door went sentimentality and soft shoulders; the woman of the WWII period embodied power and capability. As men went off to war, women seized their jobs in factories and became more empowered and independent than ever. Structured shoulder pads replaced puffed sleeves and pants replaced flowing skirts, creating the figure of an independent woman. However, femininity was not completely thrown out with the extra fabric. Slight accessories still adorned their necks and fancied blouses were worn in moderation.
The war did not only have an effect on the women wearing the clothes, it also had a profound effect on the people making them. As German forces stormed through Europe, they occupied many of the most fabulous places to shop. The undisputed capital of style at this point was Paris and during WWII the City of Light was firmly under the tight grip of the Nazis.
Madame Gres was a famous couturier who loved whipping up pleated full skirts and dresses with revealing cutouts. One particularly fabulous Gres dress in the exhibit was a black wool and satin number. The story goes that, to keep her seamstresses out of trouble with the Nazis, Gres replaced time-consuming pleating and fabric volume work with intricate cutting and complex construction. The dress had almost 80 pieces to it and was all done within the limits of fabric rationing mandates.
Times were tough, but so were the women! Wedding gowns that had previously been large and loufa-like affairs were slim and trim with an austere elegance and grace. For women of the day, frivolousness was unpatriotic. One such wedding gown from the exhibit was made out of an old parachute!
After much struggle and heartache, the exhibit moves into the post-war period. The war was over, frugality was thrown out, and with it, the fabric rationing laws. In short, women were sick of austerity and it was more than time for a rediscovery of fashion. Enter Christian Dior and his collections elegantly coined the “new look.” This way of dressing was a full-bodied alternative to the masculinity of the war years and matched the feelings of the women of the day.
Our favourite room of the exhibit showed off all the evening wear from this period. Full skirts, tight bodices, and an intense amount of beading and feathers, dresses in this section were a treat for the eyes.
This exhibit, while small, is full of fascinating experiences and stories brought to life through the garments that illustrate how women’s clothing paralleled the times. It gives the observer a good look at women in the different eras and how their clothes changed, but more importantly who they changed into. For any lover of fashion, textile, or beautifully made garments, this exhibit is a must see.
From Rationing to Ravishing is at the Museum of Vancouver until March 8, 2015. For more information, visit museumofvancouver.ca.
