Textile Research Centre, Leiden

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The "Stichting" (Foundation) Textile Research Centre (TRC), Leiden, The Netherlands, is an independent research institute working in the field of textiles and dress. [cite web|url=http://www.texdress.nl|title=Textile Research Centre, Leiden|accessdate=2008-05-08] It is based at the National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden. [cite web|url=http://www.rmv.nl/index.aspx?lang=en|title=National Museum of Ethnology|accessdate=2008-05-08] The director of the TRC is Dr. Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, a textile and dress historian.

Aims

The TRC has the stated aim of encouraging research into anthropological and archaeological textiles and clothing in the widest sense of the word. In particular, the TRC specialises in Dress, namely what people do to their body (body modification) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_modification ] and what they wear (body supplements) in order to express their identity. The basic theory of dress is outlined in an article by Eicher and Roach-Higgins (1992).

History

The TRC was founded in 1991 as a "Stichting" (foundation; non-profit making organisation). Since then it has been involved in many aspects of the academic study of textiles and dress, especially those from the Near East.

In 1997 the TRC started a textile and dress collection. The collection has grown to over 5,000 textiles, garments and accessories from throughout the world. Most of the garments come from the Near East and Islamic lands, notably, Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia. It also has a large collection of Dutch regional dress. Many of the garments were obtained during fieldwork by TRC staff and students in such countries as Egypt, Ecuador, Iran, Mexico, Mongolia, and Zanzibar. Other items were purchased or given as donations.

The TRC specialises in the history of veils and face veils from the Near East and Islamic lands, from Morocco to Central Asia. The veils in the TRC collection were used for a major exhibition at the National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (1996), and for various publications, including Covering the Moon: An Introduction to Middle Eastern Face Veils (2007) (Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood and Willem Vogelsang; Leuven: Peeters, 2007). [http://www.peeters-leuven.be/boekoverz.asp?nr=8349]

Exhibitions and publications

Since its creation in 1991, the TRC has been involved in the production of various exhibitions and books on the theme of dress and identity. The work of the TRC, for example, is supported by several journals and book series including "Studies in Textile and Costume History" (Leiden: Brill [http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=210&pid=7530] ; the academic journal "Khil`a: Textiles and Dress in the Islamic World" (Leuven: Peeters) [http://www.peeters-leuven.be/Journoverz.asp?nr=72&page=1&number_of_volumes=%220%22] and a volume about Central and Southwest Asian dress in the forthcoming "Encyclopaedia of World Dress and Fashion", (Oxford and New York, Berg Publications). [http://www.bergpublishers.com/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx]

The TRC has been involved in the creation of the following exhibitions:

* "De Kleren van de farao": National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden (1994; travelled to Denmark and Germany). An exhibition about textiles and clothing in Ancient Egypt.

* "Sluiers ontsluierd (For Modesty’s Sake?)": National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (1996-1997). An exhibition about the history and use of veils and face veiling in the Near East.

* "Tutankhamun’s Wardrobe": Textile Museum, Boras, Sweden. An exhibition with replicas of the garments found in the tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Tutankhamun. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutankhamun] This exhibition started in Boras, Sweden, in 1999 and since then has travelled to Britain, Denmark, Egypt, The Netherlands, Poland and the US. This exhibition is now permanently based at the Textile Museum, Boras, Sweden. [http://www.tutankhamuns-wardrobe.com/default.htm]

* "Hajj": National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (2004-2005). An exhibition about the Hajj and the clothing (ihram) worn by Muslim pilgrims to Mecca.

* "Flowing Robes: Clothing and Jewellery from Saudi Arabia": National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (2006-2007).

* "Dutch Lace Caps" (Stadhuis Leiden, 2007-2008)

References

J.B. Eicher and M.E. Roach-Higgins, “Definition and classification of dress: Implications for analyses of gender roles,” in R. Barnes and J. B. Eicher (eds), "Dress and Gender. Making and Meaning in Cultural Contexts", New York, St. Martin’s Press, 1992, pp. 9-28.

ources

C. Fluck and G.M. Vogelsang-Eastwood, "Riding Costume in Egypt: Origin and Appearance", Leiden, Brill, 2004.

R. van de Velde-Lagendijk and G.M. Vogelsang-Eastwood, "Kanten mutsen uit Nederland/Dutch Lace Caps", Rotterdam and Gronsveld, Barjesteh, 2007 (in Dutch and English). [http://www.barjesteh.nl/culture.htm]

G.M. Vogelsang-Eastwood, "De Kleren van de farao", Amsterdam, De Bataafsche Leeuw, 1994 (exhibition catalogue, National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden, The Netherlands. This catalogued also appeared in Danish and German).

GM. Vogelsang-Eastood, "For Modesty’s Sake", Rotterdam, Barjesteh and Meeuwes, 1996 (exhibition catalogue; National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden, The Netherlands; Dutch edition: Sluiers Ontsluierd). [http://www.barjesteh.nl/culture.htm]

G.M. Vogelsang-Eastwood, "Tutankhamuns Wardrobe", Rotterdam, Barjesteh and Meeuwes, 1999 (book accompanying an international exhibition with the same name). [http://www.barjesteh.nl/culture.htm]

G.M. Vogelsang-Eastwood and L. Barjesteh, "An Introduction to Qajar Era Dress", Rotterdam, Barjesteh, 2002. [http://www.barjesteh.nl/culture.htm]

Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood and Willem Vogelsang, "Covering the Moon: An Introduction to Middle Eastern Face Veils", Leeuven, Peeters, 2007. [http://www.peeters-leuven.be/boekoverz.asp?nr=8349]

External links: general

* Textile Research Centre official website. [http://www.texdress.nl] Retrieved on 01-05-2008
* Barjesteh Publishers, Rotterdam and Gronsveld, The Netherlands. [http://www.barjesteh.nl] Retrieved on 01-05-2008
* National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden, The Netherlands. [http://www.rmv.nl] Retrieved on 01-05-2008
* Peeters Publishers, Leuven, Belgium. [http://www.peeters-leuven.be] Retrieved on 01-05-2008
* Textilmuseet, Boras, Sweden. Retrieved on 01-05-2008 [http://www.tutankhamuns-wardrobe.com/default.htm] [http://www.boras.se/kultur/textilmuseet.4.633e5e10039748abd7fff72679.html]

External links: digital publications

"Qajar Dress in the RMV." [http://www.rmv.nl/publicaties/8Qajar/e/fr_pub.html] Retrieved on 01-05-2008

"Dressed in Ihram." [http://www.rmv.nl/publicaties/19hajj/e/fr_pub.html] Retrieved on 01-05-2008

"A Handbook for Collecting Dress in the Field." [http://home.tiscali.nl/willemvogelsang/publications.html] Retrieved on 01-05-2008