Annual Delaware Antiques Show 2019

Layers of History in Costuming THE CROWN By Kim Collison Henry Francis and Ruth Wales du Pont met both Queen Elizabeth II and her parents and recounted those experiences by recording the royals’ attire. In 1959, both made note of the Queen’s fashion at the bicentenary celebration for the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. H. F. described the Queen’s “lovely yellow dress,” and Ruth recalled, “The Queen was wearing a beautiful organdie dress, yellow, with matching hat, and long white gloves, open toed white shoes, which nearly finished yours truly!” On an earlier occasion, Ruth described Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) as wearing “the most beautiful white dress imaginable.” The appearance and dress of public figures, particularly those who are also trendsetters and cultural icons, help document history. Therefore, dramatizations of historical figures and events naturally rely on costume for authenticity and story. Winterthur’s exhibition Costuming THE CROWN considers the crucial role that the work of costume designers Michele Clapton (Season 1) and Jane Petrie (Season 2) played in creating drama and exploring the history of the early years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, as depicted in the Netflix television production. Costumes in three sections of the exhibition draw on well-known historical garments carefully replicated by Clapton and Petrie. These lend credibility to the dramatization and introduce the audience to aspects of history. Beginning with the coronation and the Queen’s assuming her role through the layers of symbol-laden robes and regalia (fig. 1) , “Establishing Roles” examines the concept of outfitting the monarch in a manner that helps assert her place in history as well as her standing in the kingdom. The embroidery of the Imperial Mantle, Royal Stole, and coronation glove—the Tudor rose, shamrock, and thistle, representing England, Ireland, and Scotland—highlights just how layered with meaning royal costume can be. Fig. 1. Imperial Mantle, Supertunica, Royal Stole, and dress designed by Michele Clapton. Costumes provided by Left Bank Pictures — 30 —