Essential Accessories: Handbags and Heels
29 March – 17 July 2011
The Lightbox, Woking, Surrey

This will be the first time the objects from the Museum of Handbags and Purses have been seen in the UK, and the exhibition will be the first display of costume accessories  at The Lightbox (2008 Art Fund Prize winner).

Essential Accessories: Handbags and Heels will feature over 120 bags and 40 pairs of shoes.  Highlights include:

An early 18^th Century bag, intricately embroidered with thistles and initials J.R.8 and carried by a Scottish and Jacobite supporter of James VIII’s succession to the throne;

An 1820s French handbag made of papier-mâché with cut steel frame, reflecting new design opportunities created by the Industrial Revolution;

A 19^th Century beaded reticule, created in 1838 to commemorate the first transatlantic crossing by a steamer.  The bag is decorated with an image of the steamer, Sirius;

A 1939 enamelled minaudière with jewelled clasp, an early example by Asprey created in response to the surge in popularity of cosmetics that took place after the First World War;

A pair of black kid leather ‘straights’ (1790-99), designed to be worn on either foot.  This pair belonged to the sister of former Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Spencer Percival;

A pair of women’s ‘latchet’ shoes (late 17^th/early 18^th centuries).  These high fashion shoes, decorated with Portugese bullion lace, proved so popular that in 1711 the import of lace was prohibited;

The Museum of Bags and Purses showcases the collection of Hendrikje Ivo, a collection that began with an acquisition made in Norwich and which over 35 years has grown to include 4000 bags, pouches, purses, baggage and accessories. 

Reflecting Ivo’s fascination with form, function and materials, the collection provides a rich source for interpreting our culture, both contemporary and past.  In addition to historic pieces, The Lightbox exhibition will feature handbags by Alexander McQueen, Louis Vuitton, Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney.

The Shoe Collection in Northampton is the largest collection of shoe heritage in the world.  It includes more than 12,000 items of footwear along with wearing accessories, shoemaking tools and a wealth of documentary material charting the history of shoemaking in the region.  Essential Accessories will include shoes from the 16^th Century to the present day, with examples by Manolo Blahnik, Stuart Weitzman, Georgina Goodman and Prada.

Commenting, Marilyn Scott, Director of The Lightbox, said: “Together, the bags and shoes on display will not only be a wonderful feast for the eye, but will also allow the visitor to track social changes through history.  How and why did social change affect the way people dressed and, importantly, what can the handbag and shoes tell us about history?”

 Essential Accessories: Handbags and Heels opens at The Lightbox on 29 March 2011 (until 17 July 2011).  To find out more, please visit: www.thelightbox.org.uk or telephone 01483 737800.

 

Contacts

For all press enquiries and high resolution images please contact Emma Hanson, email: emma.hanson@thelightbox.org.uk, telephone: 01483 737819 or Becky Bristow, email: becky.bristow@thelightbox.org.uk, telephone: 01483 737810

 

Notes to Editors:

• Lecture Series Sponsor: With thanks to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
• Visitor Information: The Lightbox is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10.30am – 5.00pm and Sunday 11.00am – 5.00pm. Entrance is free. For more information please visit www.thelightbox.org.uk or call 01483 737800.

 

• EVENTS:

o   Tuesday 29 March  7.00pm - The handbag: The story of a collection (£6 adults, £5 concessions)

Join Sigrid Ivo, Director and Curator of the Museum of Bags and Purses, as she discusses the rich history of the handbag and how the museum’s collection, which features in Essential Accessories, was assembled.

o   Tues  5^th April 12.30pm - Tour of Essential Accessories: Handbags and Heels (Free Entry - donations welcome)

Join a member of The Lightbox’s curatorial team as they tour the exhibition and provide a fascinating insight into how it was put together. Advance booking required.

o   Thurs 14^th April 7.00pm - Dizzy Heights: The iconic rise of the high-heeled shoe (£6 adults, £5 concessions)

Join Naomi Braithwaite as she discusses the evolution of the high-heeled shoe from an emblem of class and status, to political persecution during the French Revolution, and an object of desire in today’s society.

o   Thurs 19^th May 7.00pm - What’s in the Queen’s handbag? (£10 adults, £8 concessions)

Have you ever wondered what the Queen keeps in her most prized accessory? Join Phil Dampier, who has been writing about the Royal Family for 25 years, as he discusses who makes the Queen’s bags, how many she has and incredibly, how she uses her handbag to send coded messages to her staff. Phil will also be revealing some fascinating and hilarious stories about the Queen’s servants, her beloved corgis and her passion for horse racing.

o   Tues 7^th June 1.00pm - The Shoe Must Go On: The story of a collection (£6 adults, £5 concessions)

The Shoe Collection at Northampton is the largest collection of shoes and related material in the world. Join Rebecca Shawcross from Northampton Museums and Art Gallery as she discusses this unique treasure-trove of a collection.