By EVA VOINIGESCU
Earlier this week we told you about the Royal Ontario Museum‘s massive new exhibition. Literally titled “Big,” the show—opening November 3—draws from the ROM’s permanent collection of 50,000 textiles and costumes to demonstrate the huge impact that simple cloth can have. Dozens of historically important artifacts were chosen for their relations to big fashion (such as couture by John Galliano for Dior, Yves St. Laurent and Alexander McQueen), big events (textile innovations that inspired the Industrial Revolution), big messages and much more. Check out the gallery below to get a glimpse of some of the ROM’s most prominent pieces, then visit the museum to see for yourself how big they really are.
- 75602
- A mythical creature symbolizing wise administration, the <em>qilin</em> on this piece was worn by first-ranking officers in the Chinese military to confirm their elite status.<br /> <br />
- 19th-Century Miltary Rank Badge
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Rank-badge-88x88.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Rank-badge.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Rank-badge.jpg
- 500
- 471
- []
- https://where.ca/ontario/toronto/big-things-are-on-display-at-the-rom/slide/rank-badge/
- rank-badge
- 0
- 0
- 75598
- In the 1930s, the introduction of low maintenance fabrics that promised not to shrink, stretch, wrinkle or even burn, was a huge innovation. One reason such fabrics were quickly embraced? Post-war households were significantly less likely to employ servants for tasks such as laundry.
- Abstract Fiberglas Furnishing
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Fiberglas-furnishing-88x88.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Fiberglas-furnishing.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Fiberglas-furnishing.jpg
- 500
- 415
- []
- https://where.ca/ontario/toronto/big-things-are-on-display-at-the-rom/slide/fiberglas-furnishing/
- fiberglas-furnishing
- 0
- 0
- 75594
- This traditional Ghanaian toga, worn at funerals, is three meters long and features proverb-encoded Adinkra symbols such as the spiked circle, which implies that the wearer, like a star, rests with god.
- Adinkra Wrapper
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Adinkra-wrapper-88x88.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Adinkra-wrapper.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Adinkra-wrapper.jpg
- 500
- 309
- []
- https://where.ca/ontario/toronto/big-things-are-on-display-at-the-rom/slide/adinkra-wrapper/
- adinkra-wrapper
- 0
- 0
- 75597
- Dry coastal conditions preserved this Peruvian tunic, composed of thousands of Amazonian macaw feathers, for more than 600 years. The discovery of such feathers in coastal Peru speaks to the existence of a big trade network in South America before the appearance of European settlers.
- Feather Tunic (detail)
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Feather-tunic-detail-88x88.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Feather-tunic-detail.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Feather-tunic-detail.jpg
- 500
- 464
- []
- https://where.ca/ontario/toronto/big-things-are-on-display-at-the-rom/slide/feather-tunic-detail/
- feather-tunic-detail
- 0
- 0
- 75599
- Designed for the 1925 Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes in Paris, this sizeable work of art was made possible by innovations in woodblock printing, which facilitated the creation of large-scale decorative pieces that did not have to be woven.
- La Vie au Grand Air Wall Hanging
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/La-Vie-au-Grand-Air-wall-hanging-88x88.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/La-Vie-au-Grand-Air-wall-hanging.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/La-Vie-au-Grand-Air-wall-hanging.jpg
- 500
- 268
- []
- https://where.ca/ontario/toronto/big-things-are-on-display-at-the-rom/slide/la-vie-au-grand-air-wall-hanging-2/
- la-vie-au-grand-air-wall-hanging-2
- 0
- 0
- 75600
- The most prestigious of West African garments, like these trousers, are created from hand-woven two-centimeter-wide strips of cloth. Kings have been known to wear up to eight layers of these intricately assembled pieces for state events.
- Nigerian Men's Trousers
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Mens-trousers-88x88.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Mens-trousers.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Mens-trousers.jpg
- 500
- 315
- []
- https://where.ca/ontario/toronto/big-things-are-on-display-at-the-rom/slide/mens-trousers/
- mens-trousers
- 0
- 0
- 75601
- The much sought after patterns of these Indian dyed textiles were a big fashion phenomenon in 18th century. Europeans' attempts to make their own similar pieces were a driving factor behind the Industrial Revolution.
- Palampore (detail)
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Palampore-detail-88x88.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Palampore-detail.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Palampore-detail.jpg
- 500
- 500
- []
- https://where.ca/ontario/toronto/big-things-are-on-display-at-the-rom/slide/palampore-detail/
- palampore-detail
- 0
- 0
- 75596
- Easily the exhibition’s most photographed piece, this John Galliano couture gown for Dior, took artisans an astronomical 500 hours to construct. A video documenting the making of the dress offers a sense of its big-time design, while a February 9th talk by exhibit curator Alexandra Palmer illuminates how the dress came to the ROM.
- Passage #5 Coat-Dress and Belt
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DIOR_PASSAGE-88x88.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DIOR_PASSAGE.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DIOR_PASSAGE.jpg
- 369
- 500
- []
- https://where.ca/ontario/toronto/big-things-are-on-display-at-the-rom/slide/dior_passage/
- dior_passage
- 0
- 0
- 75595
- These items demonstrate two cultures' contrasting approaches to footwear. On the left, a shoe for the ideal (if impractical) 7.5-centimetre foot of an early 20th-century Han Chinese woman was a sign of elite status. Beside it, a boot worn by drivers of horse-drawn carriages in France was big and strong enough to prevent a rider sitting astride one of two side-by-side horses from being crushed between the horses or by the coach.
- Silk Shoe for a Bound Foot & Leather Postillion Boot
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Boot-and-shoe-88x88.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Boot-and-shoe.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Boot-and-shoe.jpg
- 436
- 500
- []
- https://where.ca/ontario/toronto/big-things-are-on-display-at-the-rom/slide/boot-and-shoe/
- boot-and-shoe
- 0
- 0
- 75603
- This silk gown from Chinese-American designer Vivienne Tam speaks to the "big" theme in a number of ways, the most impressive of which may be the innovative digital printing technique that was used to create the fabric’s elaborate designs.
- "Water Sleeve" Evening Gown
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Tam-gown-88x88.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Tam-gown.jpg
- https://where.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Tam-gown.jpg
- 333
- 500
- []
- https://where.ca/ontario/toronto/big-things-are-on-display-at-the-rom/slide/tam-gown/
- tam-gown
- 0
- 0
All images courtesy of the Royal Ontario Museum