The Bizarre and the Beautiful

Opulent and exuberant, this focused exhibition explores silk—indisputably fashion's favored fabric in the eighteenth century. With 13 objects from the Museum's collections, it includes French and English patterned silk dresses worn by some of Philadelphia's most fashionable women of the time.

In contrast to the static formalism of the previous century, European silk design at the beginning of this period marked a new attitude that was driven by economics, technology, and fashion. The Bizarre and the Beautiful: Silks of the Eighteenth Century is an exploration of these attitudes and the numerous changes that took place during this pivotal moment in textile development.

Changes in Silk Development