Fashion and Fancy Dress
The Messel Family Dress Collection: 1865 – 2005
The Curators
Professor Lou Taylor
Professor Lou Taylor is an internationally respected figure in the field of Dress
and Textile History. She is Professor of Dress and Textile History at the University
of Brighton. A fashion graduate from St. Martins in the 1960s, she was the first
curator of costume at Brighton Museum where she set up a highly innovative Fashion
Gallery. It was in this period that the first loan of the Messel Collection was
placed at the museum by the Countess of Rosse in 1981 and Lou has taken a committed
interest in this collection ever since.
Lou Taylor was presenter of the BBC2 dress history series 'Through the Looking
Glass' in 1989 (and co-author of the accompanying book), and has recently published
'The Study of Dress History' (2002) and 'Establishing Dress History – an
assessment of the collecting of dress in museums' (2004) both at Manchester University
Press.
Lou Taylor has curated other exhibitions including the highly acclaimed Fortuny
exhibition in 1980, which was shown at Brighton and museums in France and the
USA.
Eleanor Thompson
Eleanor Thompson, Curator of Costume & Textiles at Brighton Museum and Art
Gallery, is an outstanding young curator of the new generation. She studied at
the University of Brighton and University of Leicester gaining an MA in Museum
Studies. Her BA Dissertation was nominated for the Royal Historical Society/ History
Today Undergraduate Dissertation Award (2000).
Eleanor Thompson was previously assistant Curator of Education and Events at The
New Art Gallery, Walsall.
Amy De La Haye
Amy De La Haye is a dress curator, fashion historian and contemporary critic.
She holds a Senior Research Fellowship at the London College of Fashion. From
1991-1999, Amy was Curator of 20th Century Dress at the V & A and has published
extensively on 20th and 21st century dress.
Amy De La Haye is also an Associate Lecturer at Central St Martins and the London
College of Fashion and works as Creative Consultant to Shirin Guild. She is a
Contributory Editor for Selvidge magazine and has recently curated an exhibition
of Liberace’s stage costumes at Selfridges.
Introduction
Background and Context
The Exhibition
The Messel family Personalities
Press
Back to list of exhibitions
