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50 Years Later: Lost Fashion Collection Reborn
8 Feb
Summary
- A fire bomb attack in 1976 destroyed Belfast museum's fashion collection.
- An exhibition, 'Ashes to Fashion,' showcases the rebuilt collection.
- The Lennox Quilt is the sole surviving item from the original display.
A major fashion and textile collection, lost in a 1976 fire bomb attack in Belfast, has been painstakingly revived by the Ulster Museum. The blaze at Malone House destroyed the museum's entire costume and textile holdings, representing a significant cultural loss.
Fifty years later, the 'Ashes to Fashion' exhibition marks a new cultural moment, showcasing a collection rebuilt through decades of dedicated curation, acquisitions, and donations. It highlights the resilience of museum professionals in overcoming disaster.
The exhibition features 120 objects spanning five centuries of fashion, including the 1712 handstitched Lennox Quilt, the only item to survive the original fire. Also displayed is a 1660s embroidery casket, an 18th-century silk gown, and modern pieces like a Chanel suit worn by Christy Turlington.
Curator Charlotte McReynolds emphasized the exhibition's focus on recovery and resilience rather than the loss. The rebuilding effort, initiated by Elizabeth McCrum, involved meticulous work to recreate a diverse collection from scratch, reframing textiles as significant cultural artifacts.
Kathryn Thomson, chief executive of National Museums NI, described 'Ashes to Fashion' as an honest and powerful response to a devastating event. The exhibition provides insights into museum collecting and conservation, demonstrating how creativity can emerge from adversity. It is the museum's first major fashion exhibition in 15 years, opening on February 27.
