PAST EVENTS, PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS
BOOK LAUNCH:Â UNSINKABLE LUCILE
October 2, 2022
Author Hugh Brewster and artist Laurie McGaw launched their book Unsinkable Lucile, about the famous fashion designer who was raised in Canada, and survived the sinking of the Titanic as Lady Duff-Gordon.
ENCORE VINTAGE
June - September, 2022
We had a pop-up shop this summer, just down the street from the museum and it was a great success! After all expenses, we made about $5,000 profit, which went towards purchasing a rare pelisse (coat) and pair of boots, from the 1820s. The shop was a also a great marketing tool for the museum.
A DANDY SUNDAY
ZACK PINSENT
December 15, 2019
It was a delight to welcome Regency dandy tailor and fashion historian Zack Pinsent to our museum during his first visit to Canada. Zack dressed himself in front of the audience, while explaining the origin and use of each garment, from shirt to shoes.
AN AFTERNOON WITH IRIS
IRIS SIMPSON
November 9, 2019
Fashion retailer, educator, designer, and stylist Iris Simpson joined FHM's Chair Kenn Norman to chat about her insider view to the world of fashion and her experiences in a career that ranged from Eaton's to the Paris couture shows of Yves Saint Laurent.
TAMBOUR BEADMASTER
BOB HAVEN
July 15 - 28, 2019
We hosted our first artist in residence when Bob Haven agreed to come up to our museum from his home in Kentucky and spend two weeks in the gallery recreating a 1920s beaded dress from our collection, teach two workshops on tambour beadwork, as well as lecture on the history of beadwork. Due to popular demand, Bob returned in October for an encore tambour beading workshop!
CHICAGO'S MAD HATTER
ELIZABETH JACHIMOWICZ
July 2, 2019
Author and former Curator of Costume at the Chicago History Museum, Elizabeth Jachimowicz spoke at the launch of our exhibiiton Bes Ben, The Mad Hatter of Chicago. Her book about Bes Ben was published in the spring of 2020.
VICTORIA'S 200TH BIRTHDAY
May 24, 2019
Museum Volunteer Kathy Dwyer graced us with her presence as Queen Victoria for a meet and greet on the sovereign's 200th birthday. However, HM wasn't amused when she caught sight of one of her unmentionables on display.
VICTORIAN TEA
May 18, 2019
This year's event was a Victorian tea, recreating recipes from the 1898 Galt Cook Book. Food historian Carolyn Blackstock, who in 2014 blogged her way through the Galt cookbook as she tested every recipe, spoke about her experiences and reactions to some of the cuisine she created. The recipes met with mixed success with our 'tea totalers'- the date sandwiches were a hit, the potted meat was not...
TANGO TEA
September 15, 2018
High tea and tangos with demonstrations and instruction in period dances by internationally renowned historical dancers Richard Powers and Kimber Rudo. The afternoon's entertainment included silent films, a few rounds of World War I Name That Tune, some Price is Right games for 1910s groceries, and a surprise visit from Emmeline Pankhurst who implored on the behalf of women's suffrage.
WARDROBE IN FILM
IAN DRUMMOND
June 9, 2018
As a supplier of costumes for film and television productions, Ian Drummond spoke about his experiences of working with the costume departments of many productions including: On the Basis of Sex, Hairspray, Chicago, Cinderella Man, Dark Shadows, and more...
REGENCY BONNET-MAKING
January 14, 2018
August 20, 2017
A day-long workshop recreating a circa 1812 impressed rag-paper 'bonnet-board' bonnet trimmed with silk ribbons from the FHM collection. The workshop was so popular that it was repeated.
JANE AUSTEN COUNTRY BALL
September 23, 2017
Jane Austen's world was experienced through an evening of festivities the authoress herself would have known. A country ball complete with Regency music, dance, card games, and a buffet supper of period cuisine.
JANE AUSTEN CLOSE-UP BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR
May 27/28, 2017
Behind the scenes tour in storage with museum curator Jonathan Walford of the museum's Regency collection of shoes, hats, bonnets, shawls, and dresses.
CHAPEAU ET CHAMPAGNE
February 11, 2017
A fashion show of hats from the founder's collection as well as contemporary creations from Toronto milliner Karyn Gingras of Lilliput Hats.
AN UNEASY PLACE
LISA COX
November 12, 2016
The Uneasy Place of Animals in Fashion History was presented by Lisa Cox, curator of the C.A.V. Barker Museum of Canadian Veterinary History at University of Guelph, and co-curator of the FHM exhibition Wild and Rare.
CULTURE DAYS ID CLINIC
October 1, 2016
Lace collector and expert Nancy Pye;Â Ethnographic textiles expert and co-founder of Toronto's Textile Museum, Simon Waegemaekers; Textile Conservator Christine Feniak; and FHM Curator Jonathan Walford were on hand for the public to bring in their textile treasures for identification.
MAGICAL MOMENTS
ANGELA BRAYHAM
April 28, 2016
Magical Moments: Women, Mardi Gras, and Glittered Shoes, a talk by Angela Brayham, Director/Curator of Gallery Stratford, and guest curator of the exhibition Throw Me Something Sister?, about the highly coveted glittered shoes created by the all-female Krewe of Muses for New Orleans' Mardi Gras.
PREPARE TO MEET THY MONARCH
ALEXANDRA KIM
April 9, 2016
Prepare to Meet Thy Monarch guest lecture by the former curator at the royal dress collection at Kensington Palace, during FHM exhibition To Meet the Queen.
CHAPEAU ET CHAMPAGNE
February 13, 2016
A fashion show of hats from the founder's collection as well as contemporary creations from Cambridge milliner - The Hauteur Hatter - Lori Lavers.