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This Symposium, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern Regions, will be held in conjunction with the FA&M’s exhibit “The Fashions of Fiction from Pamela to Gatsby,” which has received generous support from the Coby Foundation. The symposium opens October 11 with pre-conference activities and closes on October 14, 2018.
Costume and fashion history are great teaching tools for educating on multiple levels and creative ways. In addition to papers and research exhibits on dress history, the symposium welcomes topics regarding educational and creative connections between dress, other fields, and the general public. Innovative exhibits, successful programs, events, and promotions are all potential topics. In connection with the FA&M exhibit, studies of costume in literature and the arts are also welcome.
Plans already include a behind the scenes off-site storage pre-conference tour of clothing belonging to Ike and Mamie Eisenhower which form part of the collection of the Eisenhower Farm Museum, as well as a special discount for symposium participants at the wonderful fabric store Needle & Thread in Gettysburg and the Creative Ewe yarn shop.
The symposium hotel, the Courtyard Marriott, is immediately adjacent to campus and located at 503 Newburg Road, Shippensburg, PA 17257. A conference rate of $88/night with breakfast included, is already available for reservations at (717) 477-0680 or online at Book your group rate for Costume Society of America.
Watch for further announcements and notices. To volunteer, please contact co-chairs Karin Bohleke (kjbohleke@ship.edu) and/or Colleen Callahan (jette_2@msn.com).
The Fashion Archives & Museum of Shippensburg University (FA&M) was awarded a $40,000 grant from the Coby Foundation, Ltd. in New York City. With the grant, procured with the assistance of the Shippensburg University Foundation, the FA&M can hire a professional exhibit designer for its next exhibit, slated to open on April 14, 2018.
“The Coby Foundation is pleased to award the Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University a grant for its upcoming exhibition `The Fashions of Fiction from Pamela to Gatsby.’ It’s a novel approach to exhibit historical fashions, and is likely to attract a new audience to its gallery. The Foundation was happy to direct funds to this installation so that future exhibitions can benefit from the improvements,” said Ward L. E. Mintz, Coby Foundation executive director.
Dr. Karin Bohleke, FA&M director, co-wrote the grant with FA&M advisory council member Colleen Callahan of the Costume and Textile Specialists. According to Bohleke, this is the first grant of its kind for the FA&M and the first opportunity to hire a professional exhibit designer. “The choice of Charles Mack of Baltimore, Maryland, was a natural one,” explained Bohleke. “He brings great talent, enthusiasm, and broad experience and has a sensitivity toward the needs of historic textiles. In addition, he is excited to work with Ship students in order to expose them to the museum design process, which is a fantastic addition to the Applied History curriculum. We are so lucky to have him on board for this project.”
The Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University (FA&M) will debut a new exhibit on March 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. “Through the Lens of the Beholder: The Fine Art of Dress” features clothing and accessories for men, women and children from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
