PURPLE: Fashion and Fancy, Highlights from the Texas Fashion Collection

October 10 – November 20, 2019

Opening Reception:  Thursday, October 10, 2019 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm

The Dorrance H. Hamilton Gallery and Salve Regina University’s Department of Art and Art History are pleased to announce the opening of PURPLE:  Fashion and Fancy, Highlights from the Texas Fashion Collection, an exhibition of historic and designer wear that explores the cultural significance of the color purple.

PURPLE:  Fashion and Fancy affords the visitor a glimpse into fashion history spanning three centuries.  This exhibition presents twelve pieces on loan from the Texas Fashion Collection at the University of North Texas, a collection founded by the Dallas-based department store Neiman Marcus.  It includes a range of garments and accessories, from an 1890s mourning capelet to a 21st-century cocktail dress.  Evening dresses by well-known designers Victor Costa and Vera Wang, an Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress, a Fendi fur coat and a folkwear wedding dress are just a few of the highlights.  From sportswear to formal wear, from glamourous gowns to exuberant hats, this one of a kind exhibition features articles of clothing for different occasions and times of the year, highlighting the enduring resonance of purple in fashion.

This exhibition was made possible through a generous partnership with Annette Becker, the Director of the Texas Fashion Collection at the University of North Texas and the charitable support of an anonymous donor.  Ms. Becker curated the selection of designer pieces in collaboration with the show’s co-curators, Professors Ernest Jolicoeur and Anthony F. Mangieri of Salve Regina University’s Department of Art and Art History.  A full color catalog with essays accompanies this exhibition.

PURPLE:  Fashion and Fancy, Highlights from the Texas Fashion Collection runs from October 10 through November 20, 2019.  On Thursday, October 10 the university community and the general public are invited to attend an opening reception.  The reception will run from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in the Dorrance H. Hamilton Gallery.

The Dorrance H. Hamilton Gallery is located in the Antone Academic Center on the campus of Salve Regina University.  It is handicap accessible with parking along Lawrence and Leroy Avenues.  Its exhibits are open Tuesdays through Thursdays 11:00 to 6:00 pm, Wednesdays and Fridays 11:00 to 5:00 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays noon to 4:00 pm.  The gallery is closed on Mondays.  We invite you to visit us.