Earlier this October, the LSU Textile and Costume Museum revealed its newest exhibit, “Dressing Louisiana: Histoires de la mode de la Louisiane,” which celebrates fashion and textiles centered around Louisiana. Taking the spirit of the two previous exhibits, “Color Me Fashion” and Geoffrey Beene, the exhibit highlights the artistry, history and culture that exists through all kinds of clothing.
“Over the past three years, I have spent considerable time working in the collection, organizing objects, cataloguing objects in our collection, and as I did so, I came to realize the vast repository of Louisiana histories that resides in this collection,” said Michael Mamp, the director and curator of the museum.
The LSU Textile and Costume museum holds over 7,000 artifacts, from Dior pieces to centuries-old fabric. In this new exhibit, there are more that 40 pieces, from scarves to gowns to even jewelry. The garments extend from the early 20th century to now.
Mamp believes that the exhibit is a great way to understand and fall in love with the history and culture of Louisiana, even for those not from here.
“I think what I like most about the exhibit is that it displays the very vibrant, artistic culture that has always been a part of Louisiana. In this instance, represented through the unique component of fashion with designers and makers from Louisiana,” Mamp said.
The wall outside of the exhibit space contains an introductory message that calls the exhibit “a love letter to Louisiana.”
“There is somewhat of a common thread within fashion of Louisiana, in that Louisianians, despite all that the state has faced in terms of challenges both in the past and in the present, find a way to celebrate life,” Mamp said. “And that joyful celebration and exuberance is visible in the objects that are featured in the exhibition.”
And a love letter it is. When entering the exhibit, one of the first things to see are the silk designs by New Orleans artist Ray Cole. Vibrant silk scarves and dresses, some hand painted, are displayed across the room. There are also pieces by Geoffrey Beene, a designer from Louisiana that recently had the exhibit space dedicated to his work.
The clothing highlighted in this collection also expands to TV personalities. One display holds the costume of the host of “Storyland,” a program that aired on WAFB for decades. “Buckskin Bill” Black was one of the US’s longest-running children’s show hosts, and he was a big proponent for serving the Baton Rouge community.
If Louisiana history is in conversation, it would be a travesty not to have some LSU pieces. In the section aptly named “Tiger Achievement and Determination,” LSU sportswear and clothing was displayed, many of the pieces being owned by icons of LSU in the 20th century.
Mardi Gras is always in the conversation when the topic of Louisiana history and fashion is concerned. One of many Mardi Gras exhibits features a gold-encrusted dress and headdress worn by Winifred Robinson, the 1978 ball captain of the “all-ladies” Krewe of Romany. There was also a section of gowns dedicated to the first ladies of Louisiana.
Mamp described how complicated the process of deciding what of thousands of pieces to display can be. Part of the process is making sure that the clothing is in good enough condition to be displayed and getting the garments fixed for the exhibit.
One piece of the display is a 1971 Queen of Proteus Mardi Gras gown, which was designed by American fashion designer Nolan Miller. Due to the state it was in when the museum received it, Mamp said that he had to work with a New Orleans textile conservator to restore the gown. This restoration ensured the gown would both look good on display and be more structurally sound.
“I hope that people are able to take away from that, just how powerful fashion can be as a tool to tell human stories,” Mamp said.
The LSU Textile and Costume Museum’s “Dressing Louisiana: Histoires de la mode de la Louisiane” exhibit will be open until March of 2026.
