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About Our Company Naked men rarely have influence on society- Mark Twain How wise of Mark Twain to remind us of the importance of dress in such a pithy manner! Costume Collections house some of the most special cultural objects--the saved garments and accessories tell of past cultures at the most intimate level. Many of these objects are too fragile to exhibit where the lighting can fade even the most color-fast dyes. Other collections lack the resources and support to exhibit their treasures. I got "turned on" to the wonders of historic fashions as the manager of Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's Costume Design Center. We researched, designed, and produced 18th century style garments for the 1400 historical interpreters. The design center still exists, but I moved to a new city. What stayed with me was the excitement of working with historic fashions. In my research of 18th century clothing, I encountered the same problems, lack of staff, visibility, and resources. I wanted to help with a creative solution. The purpose of the calendar project is to connect people with the objects in a fun contemporary manner-- to get you as excited as I was when studying Thomas Jefferson's greatcoat, George Washington's inaugural suit, and everyday clothing whose owners remain anonymous. An annual calendar was a natural link. To be honest, I was tired of cocker spaniels, cute cats, and soap operas for wall art. Why not demand "our" space on the walls to be admired and examined each and every day of the year. So we started 1998 with a wall calendar featuring costumes from 12 of North America's finest collections. Catherine Livingstone Van Renssler's wedding dress of 1764 graced the cover from the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Over 40 other objects were featured as this is not your ordinary calendar. It is a booklet of information, and as one person said, "I've never had so much fun reading a calendar." We continued our costume calendar series with the 1999 issue: Historic Fashions of Women & Children by featuring twelve different collections. The cover features 1914 family photograph at the christening of the first grandchild, anonymous donor, courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society. Also featured is The Charleston Museum in Charleston, South Carolina founded in 1773 and 40 more costumes. Calendar 2000: Historic Fashions Turning the Centuries is our special collectible edition. It features over fifty images of what people wore as the centuries turned in 1690 - 1710, 1789 - 1810, and 1890 - 1910. Were the styles similar or different? What design elements were borrowed from past fashions? The calendar is a fun way to connect to our past through clothing and cloth, and you will know where to go learn more through exhibitions and programs. Calendar
2001: Historic Fashions During War Times, 1775-1945 features
twelve new collections and a special look at fashions during war
times -- on the front line and the home front. Each month features
multiple images and historical information on the uniforms, civilian
dress, and accessories from Revolutionary War through World War
II. The introduction includes a great overview by Dr. Patricia Cunningham,
Ohio State University costume historian. Find out why these calendars
have been voted "most educational wall calendar" two years
in a row!
Sally Queen & Associates
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