Manchester Labour

One of the largest and most important fashion collections in the UK will once again go on display to the public in March.

The Gallery of Costume at Platt Hall in Rusholme cares for over 20,000 fashion items including couture pieces from designers such as Dior, Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent.   

On 13 March 2010, it will throw open its doors to the public for the first time in two years, following a £1.3million makeover.

The Gallery was first established in 1947 and 60 years on it houses one of the most significant costume collections in the country, second only to the V&A in London. The collection contains items of clothing and fashion accessories dating from the 17th century to the present day, ranging from high fashion items to very rare examples of historical working dress. It also boasts a comprehensive fashion library containing glossy magazines such as French Vogue dating back more than 100 years.

Platt Hall houses the collection in the Grade II* listed building in Platt Fields Park and dates back to 1764. As part of the £1.3million renovation project, funded by the Gallery’s owners, Manchester City Council, the building’s original features have been sympathetically restored to provide a stunning backdrop for the exquisite collections.

Refreshed displays will now include some of the gallery’s most recent acquisitions, including a treasured 1967 Givenchy dress, designed for and worn by film star and fashion icon, Audrey Hepburn. This fuchsia pink haute couture dress was bought for £3,500 at auction in December (2009) thanks to generous support from the Manchester Art Gallery Friends and the MLA/V&A Purchase Fund.

Councillor Mike Amesbury, executive member for culture and leisure at Manchester City Council said: "The Costume Gallery at Platt Hall is a real treasure and I'm delighted it will once again be available to the general public. The collection includes some incredibly rare, historical items and is a key tourist attraction in the city. It is also a wonderful community resource offering many educational opportunities for local schools and students, as well as workshop space for community groups. The team at the gallery have worked so hard over the past two years to restore the building and refresh the costumes and it's thanks to them that Manchester will once again benefit from one of the largest fashion collections in the UK."

Education will be a major part of the new programme for the gallery, with lots of opportunities for local schools and students, with a large lecture room and workshop space now available.

For the first time the gallery also has a changing exhibition space for regular, temporary displays, the first of which will be, Platt Fields: The first 100 years, to mark the park’s centenary in May this year.  The exhibition, which will run from 13 March to 4 September 2010, is a collaborative project with the Friends of Platt Fields Park.  It uses photographs and objects to look back at the last century and how the park has changed over the years.
This will be followed by Telling Fortunes: New work by Alice Kettle 15 September – 24 December 2010. Her work is concerned with stitch and she creates figurative pieces, which often portray stories and thoughts.  Inspired by the Gallery of Costume’s collections, including gloves and embroidery, she has made her own piece of work in response.

Three Manchester-based artists have also been invited to show new installations at the gallery from March to September 2010.

Other upgrades to the building include improved disabled access and essential repairs behind the scenes.

The newly refurbished Gallery of Costume will include both permanent and temporary exhibitions, featuring fashion from the 17th century through to 21st century. It will be open to the public from Wednesday to Saturday, 1.30 to 4.30pm (from 13 March). The re-opening will coincide with the centenary celebrations of Platt Fields Park, the grounds in which the gallery sits.