Hague Court Fashions 15 September - 2 December 2007 Gemeentemuseum Den Haag
Illustrated Dutch-language catalogue Haagse Hofmode accompanies the exhibition www.gemeentemuseum.nl

When did you wear a manteau de cour, what did demi-montante mean, what should you wear for “light mourning” and what on earth was meant by “compulsory décolleté”? Maarten Spruyt, stylist and art director for designers such as Marlies Dekkers, Bernhard Willhelm and Tommy Hilfiger, designed this exhibition of top creations by illustrious, international fashion houses made for the crème de la crème from the 18th to the 20th centuries. The Hague, home to the court and the nobility, city of politicians and ambassadors, has always been sophisticated and outward-looking. The city’s refinement is reflected in the presented gowns, formerly worn by ladies of the court at receptions, dinners, balls, investitures and weddings, but also during times of mourning. In entertainment circles one could dress less formally than at court but here, too, the smart set of The Hague showed class. Each item of clothing has its own special story that reveals the court’s written and unwritten rules. more culture >>>

fig.: Left to right: Overcoat, ca. 1920-1923; Maison Divoire, Bawin, Afternoon dress: bodice and skirt, Brussels, ca. 1896, altered in 1905; Madame Van der Taelen, Afternoon dress: bodice and skirt, Brussels, 1898; Herman Kloppers, Afternoon dress with tunic, The Netherlands, 1914; Liberty & Co, Walking costume: blouse, skirt (jacket and mittens not shown in photo), London / The Netherlands, ca. 1906/1907; Decor: Photo of Korte Vijverberg, with the Mauritshuis in the centre, ca. 1915 , Photography: Barrie Hullegie; Assistant: Arne Hoek, Art Direction: Maarten Spruyt