History of the Collection

Mid 60's --Lois Garren, Assistant Professor of Costume Design, begins culling historic garments from the Department of Drama's stock of costumes for the stage.

1974 --Department of Drama opens its new building. Due to publicity accompanying the building's opening, a surge in community donations, greatly increases the number and wealth of the collection's holdings.

Early 1980s --Helen Ju, Costume Shop Manager, begins organization of a collection cataloging system.

1985 --Gweneth West, Associate Professor of Costume Design at the University Florida designs her first Heritage Repetory season and creates the first lobby exhibition of garments from the collection.

1990 --Gweneth West joins the University of Virginia as Associate Professor of Costume Design. She organizes collection according to the dates of the garments, and establishes it's mission as a regional resource and research tool for students, faculty, and scholars alike. Revolving exhibits are displayed in the lobby of the Department of Drama's Culbreth Theatre in connection with every production for both Department and Heritage.

1990s --Professor West regularly presents some of the finer examples of the collection to the university and local community groups including the D.A.R., the P.E.O., and Colonial Dames, thereby establishing active publicization of the collection's holdings which brings in another flood of donations.

1993 --A fashion show is held for a local women's club, constituting the first major effort to exhibit the collection publicly, and raise funds for its preservation. A preliminary investigation of possible grant awards is begun.

Fall, 1996 --Kathryn Rohe, Associate Professor, launches The Electronic Costume Archive, having been awarded a grant from UVa's Teaching + Technology Initiative.

Spring, 1998 -- The collection is spotlighted as one of Charlottesvilles "Party Parade" locations, organized by local supporter Karen Levering. The event includes an overview of the collections major garments, the electronic archive, and a 50's/60's fashion show by undergraduate student Maura Pauze.

Spring, 1999 -- Professors West and Rohe officially introduce the collection and electronic archive at the Southeast Theatre Conference (SETC) in Greensboro, NC, as the Garren Collection of Historic Dress, in honor of Lois Garren.

Spring, 1999 --Professor Rohe spearheads a Hat Sale in the Department of Drama using many generous donations to raise funds for the collection. The proceeds are used to outfit the auxillary collection space. Racks and shelves provide space for dresses from the 50s through the 80s and the collections accessories, such as hats, shoes, gloves, bags, shawls, fans, etc.

Fall, 1999 --Professor Rohe enrolls students to assist with a "Halloween Sale" of select stage garments and donations to raise funds for the collection.

Spring, 2000 --Professor Rohe and select students from Drama 331 transfer some of the more fragile garments to be stored in acid-free boxes for the first time.

Fall 2001 -- Professor West embarks on a "Sesquisemester" investigating collections of historic dress throughout the east, new england, and the midwest. Information gathered will greatly influence the development of a long range ten-year plan for the collection.

Spring 2002 -- "Mrs. Hyde" donated by four county players is reassembled for presentation at United States Institute of Theater Technology (USITT) establishing the national profile for the collection.

Spring 2002 -- Professor Rohe completes final addition of her Drama 331 projects to the website as her last contribution before leaving the university for New York City.

Fall 2002 -- Professor West puts in practice techniques learned during her "sesqui" to further the organization and display of the collection, which inaugurates full acession cataloguing system .

Jan 2003 -- "UVA College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences" magazine publishes an article about the collection titled, "A Study in Violet: Finding Clues in Old Clothes" by Linda J Kobert, which features "Mrs. Hyde" and Professor West on the cover. Donations continue to pour in.

Spring 2003 -- Professor West presents "Organizing and Maintaining your Collection" to the USITT conference in Minneapolis.

Summer 2003 -- Heritage costume staff begins the season by assigning acession numbers and catalogue descriptions to all garments in boxes.

Fall 2003 -- Educational Support Specialist, Sarah Jennings B.A. 2003, pledges to complete acession and photography of collection by spring of 2004, serves as exhibition manager, and develops first searchable visual database for the collection, revolutionizing our ability to access, present, and preserve the garments.