Looking through the lens of fashion, the latest exhibit to open at the Schenectady County Historical Society juxtaposes history with contemporary ideas.
In “Redesigning Fashion: Transgression & Identity in Women’s Historic Dress,” garments from SCHS’s sizable collection are paired with modern interpretations made by students in SUNY Oneonta’s fashion and textiles program.
“We’ve done fashion exhibits in the past and I just wanted to do something a little different and really bring it into the 21st century,” said Susanna Fout, the collections and exhibitions manager. “It’s very important for us to try to relate history to the modern viewer because a lot of people [think] ‘It’s not relevant to me today,’ but fashion definitely is. We live in a society where, for better or for worse, we’re forced to wear clothing every day. We have to wear clothing in order to participate in society.”