Two month ago I told you about the exhibition “Dancing on the Volcano. Lifestyle of the 1920s“ in Berlin. Today ladies’ fashion of the 1930s is in the spotlight. The Munich “Stadtmuseum” has appraised, researched and restored its 1930s fashion collection especially for this exhibition. Many items are now displayed for the first time.

Seidenkrepp, Wollkrepp
© Münchner Stadtmuseum
The exhibition is called „Gretchen wants to be chic too – Women’s fashion in the 1930s”. This titel sounds really great. The historical classification seems to be in an interesting context. What do you say about fashion of the 1930s? German Women at the time were not less interested than their sisters abroad in make-up, fashion or cigarettes.
The Nazi Party promoted a return to traditional German values, that’s contradictory to economic revival and the suggested cosmopolitanism. This cropped up in fashion. Germany continued to source international fashion from Paris and Vienna and brought it to German women. The exhibition examines the German Master School of Fashion (Deutsche Meisterschule für Mode), founded in 1931, as a prime example of this particular conflict.
The Munich Stadtmuseum presents different fasionable topics like everyday apparel, evening gowns, wedding dresses, morning dresses, night gowns, sportswear and traditional costumes all bear witness to the huge range of fashion styles worn in the Thirties. The exhibition features approximately 150 dresses and suits, displayed on handmade mannequins, together with an extensive rangeof accessorises including fur, shoes, purses, hats, scarves, shawls, gloves, jewelry and make-up. Added variety is provided by illustrations, fashion magazines, fashion photography and posters that further depict the range of clothing worn in this era.

1935
© Münchner Stadtmuseum
#museum | Stadtmuseum München
#exhibition | Gretchen wants to be chic too – Women’s fashion in the 1930s
#until | 29. Mai 2016
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