Collection of historic apparel survives even without funds

The University of Hawaii at Manoa Fashion Design and Merchandising Program is marking the 50th anniversary of its costume collection with a small exhibition of 19th- to 21st-century costumes and dolls in the Hamilton Library Bridge Gallery through Dec. 5.

Highlights are a rare Qing dynasty dragon robe, vintage apparel by Tori Richard (which will be alternated with designs by Alfred Shaheen), and about 15 costumed dolls from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources’ Historic Costume Collection, the largest Asian costume collection at an American university.

Due to the small space, other works will be represented by informational posters, a bittersweet reminder that, for curator Shu-Hwa Lin and her students, the exhibition represents a labor of love for the grass-roots collection that continues despite a lack of funding.

Late UH professor Mary Ellen Desjarlais started the collection in 1965 as a study tool for students who had no access to clothing from past eras, according to Carol D’Angelo, who retired as professor and curator of the costume collection in 2012.

"She would travel all over and bring back things to donate to the school; she’d donate hundreds of garments every year. She was so devoted that even after she retired she would come back and take care of the collection," she said.

The collection now comprises approximately 18,000 garments, textiles, accessories, fabrics and related materials donated by fashion program instructors and community members. It represents a who’s who of designers in Hawaii, generally dating from the 1950s, when tourism and Hawaii fashion grew hand in hand. Companies like ‘Iolani, Tori Richard, Kamehameha, Kahala, Alfred Shaheen and Surf Line Hawaii flourished by providing the aloha wear travelers wanted to bring home as mementos of their journey.

The Asian collection includes pieces from South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia that date as far back as the late 18th century. The pride of the collection is a silk winter kimono presented in Yokohama to U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry upon the opening of Japan to the Western world in 1854.

Other highlights are the half dozen luxurious, embellished dragon robes worn exclusively by members of the imperial family of China’s Qing dynasty. Lin estimates it would have taken about two years to create a single robe, from weaving the silk fabric to embroidering intricate designs of dragons — symbols of the monarchy — on backdrops of natural bodies and elements such as the sun, moon, stars, wind, mountains and fire, as well as such auspicious symbols as cranes and bats, representing longevity and happiness, respectively.

The end of the Qing dynasty in 1911 marked the end of the dragon robe and all the luxuries and customs of the imperial court, but the garments survive to inspire and instruct students, as well as international researchers.

Without adequate funding to preserve the collection, Lin said crowdsourcing may be one way to raise money for museum-quality cabinets and such basic supplies as tissue paper for storage.

Daring to dream big, she said that if someone offered 700 square feet of space, the collection could have a permanent exhibition hall. With 1,200 square feet, she envisions a museum that would also serve as a working classroom to give students hands-on organizational and management skills.

"Even without a budget, we still make it work because we have such dedicated students and faculty," Lin said. "Fashion is all about making it work."