The Costume Journal: Oh Canada!

Cover of the Costume Journal, Issue 43, Number 1
Art Directed by Marta Kowcun, Photo by Lawrence Cortes, Dress by Some Kong, Model Mikaela M. of Elite Models

Last fall, I agreed to take on the role as editor of the Costume Journal. Although I had more than enough to juggle, it seemed like an opportunity that I could not let pass me by. The Costume Journal is a publication of the Costume Society of Ontario, an organization that was founded in 1971 by Eileen Collard, Alan Suddon, and a passionate cadre interested in dress history. Although the circulation of this publication is relatively small, there are 14 museums and institutions around the world that subscribe to it, including the Royal Ontario Museum, the McCord Museum, and the Ryerson University Library.

After becoming the editor, I read the entire archive of the Journal from its beginnings in 1971, and was surprised to discover that the CSO used to regularly publish original research on dress, including articles by curators at the ROM and other dress historians. This seemed like a golden opportunity to revisit the Journal's roots. As well, there is a void in research on topics relating to Canadian dress and thus the theme of Oh Canada! was born.

In undertaking this redesign, my aim was to make the journal more relevant and modern, finding a niche between an academic journal and a mainstream fashion magazine, and while doing so, still honouring the Costume Journal’s roots. Up-to-date exhibition and event listings are now provided on the CSO website and Facebook page, and also circulated through membership emails.

The April Fashion Calendar

Alexandra Kim: A Royal Presentation

April is a busy month for art and fashion related events. Here are selected highlights on the calendar!

April 3, 2013: Meet the Artists: Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. Internationally renowned artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller share insights into their work and collaborative practice at 7 pm at the AGO.

April 5, 2013: Behind the Scenes at the Costume Institute. A talk by Chris Paulocik at the Royal Ontario Museum from 4-6 pm, presented by Friends of Textiles & Costumes.

April 10, 2013: Fashion Crimes. A panel discussion at the ROM on what it means to be Canadian in the fashion industry. BIG Business, BIG Pressure, BIG Names and BIG Hype.

Curator's Tour of Shine. Textile Museum of Canada. 630 pm. An exhibition tour that highlights the TMC collection as well as the work of contemporary artists Carmelo Arnoldin (Toronto), Ghost of a Dream (New York), Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky (San Francisco/Toronto).

April 11, 2013:  Mass Exodus at Ryerson University School of Fashion.

April 13, 2013:   A Royal Presentation: Curating the dress collection at Kensington Palace. A talk by Alexandra Kim at the Textile Museum of Canada at 130 pm, presented by the Costume Society of Ontario.

April 17-18, 2013: The Launch of Europeana Fashion - online digital platform - in Florence.

April 19, 2013: The Opening of Musée du costume et du textile du Québec (MCTQ) in Montreal.

April 29, 2013: Lectures related to the Exhibition Fashion, Impressionism and Modernity at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, 3-5 pm, including a talk by Valerie Steele on the corset.

Notice of copyright: 
All text and images on this blog are the copyright of Ingrid Mida, unless otherwise noted. The copying of posts, images and/or text without proper attribution is violation of copyright and legal action will be pursued.

Where to find me now

Dear friends,

It has been a while since I've posted here. After much of my blog was copied onto other sites, I lost some of the joy of sharing my research, reviews and opinions on this forum. I've been tweeting, posting links on the Costume Society of Ontario Facebook page and writing articles for Modeconnect. I also accepted the post of Fashion in the Museum columnist for Worn Through where I am writing a bi-weekly column. I've never been busier or more in demand, and yet something feels like it is missing.....

On becoming the Editor of the Costume Journal

Cover of Costume Journal Volume 42, Number 1

The Costume Journal is a bi-annual publication by the Costume Society of Ontario that features articles, exhibition and book reviews, resource lists (books, catalogues, tours), and other fashion and costume news. This journal is mailed out to members of the Costume Society of Ontario and is also collected by libraries and museums around the world.

Notice of Temporary Interruption

Dear friends and loyal readers,

It recently came to my attention that the entire content of my site is being copied on several other blogspot addresses. I am pursuing legal action on the matter to shut this down. Depending on how long it takes for Google to react, I am, for the time being, suspending my blog posts on Fashion is my Muse!

I find it very upsetting that this has occurred since I have written content on this blog for 5 years now, without commercial aims, in order to share my passion for and knowledge of costume history, fashion and art. If this is not resolved in short order, I may have to restart on another platform. In the meantime, I encourage you to follow me on either Twitter or Facebook. I am also the social media manager for the Costume Society of Ontario and post links to exhibition and fashion related content there. I also welcome your emails at fashionismymuse@gmail.com.

I hope you will join me through one of these other social media platforms.

Best wishes,
Ingrid Mida

Hand and Lock Embroidery

As usual, I'm playing catch-up on my blog posts. It was a month ago that I attended the Toronto stop on an international lecture tour given by Alaistar Macleod, CEO of Hand and Lock Embroidery. Hosted by Seneca College's Fashion Department, those who braved the driving cold rain were entertained by this charismatic champion of embroidery.

The lecture began with a quote by Francois Lesage who once said To embroider is to dream. Macleod then went on to define embroidery as "the art of decorative design to fabric by hand or machine". He stipulated the requirements for embroidery include determination, focus, concentration, patience, time,  good eyesight PLUS passion and love!!

Hand and Lock is an embroidery company that is a fusion of two long-established ateliers. Hand has its roots in military braids and embellishments and goes back as far as 1767. Lock harkens back to 1898 and has worked with such designers as Christian Dior, Norman Hartnell and Hardy Ames. In 2001, the two companies were merged into Hand and Lock and in 2003, MBA Costumes was added to the group. Currently based in London, the company will add a New York outpost in the fall.

Macleod enchanted the audience of students, faculty, and members of the Costume Society of Ontario with tales about everything from Cornely Machines (a machine invented in 1860 which automates satin stitches) to a Spanish flamenco dancer wearing gelatin sequins. His passion for embroidery was infectious and he encouraged those in attendance to enter Hand and Lock's International Embroidery Competition with prizes totalling $30,000 and for which the deadline has been extended to May 14th, 2010. Macleod said that the things that he likes the most about embroidery is "that which delights the eye!".