Attention: News, Education, Arts, Calendar Editors
Photos: Three color JPEG images of dresses in the "Best of the Katie Best Collection" exhibit are available for download at the
University Communications website. Details are at the end of the release.
When: Monday, May 7, through Sept. 7
Where: Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery, 2nd Floor, Home Economics Building, 35th Street north of East Campus Loop
Contact: Wendy Weiss, Director, Hillestad Gallery, 402-472-6370, wweiss1@unl.edu
UNL news website: http://newsroom.unl.edu
Best of the Best: An exhibition of historic clothing at Hillestad Gallery
Lincoln, Neb., April 23, 2012 -- Pieces from the collection of Katie Best, an established historic
clothing collector from Omaha, will be used to illustrate the evolution of women's roles in an exhibition,
"Best of the Katie Best Collection," that opens May 7 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Robert
Hillestad Textiles Gallery.
The exhibition organized to showcase the Katie Best Collection in the Textiles, Merchandising and
Fashion Design Department's Historic Costume Collection, will be on display through Sept. 7. A preview
reception is 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 4 at the Home Economics Building, 35th Street north of East Campus
Loop.
On June 10 at 2:30 p.m., Barbara Trout, professor of textiles, clothing and design at UNL, will
present "The Collector and Her Mission," a slide presentation and commentary showing highlights of the
Katie Best Collection in Room 11 of the Home Economics Building. A public reception will follow the
presentation and the Historic Costume Collection will be open. All events are free and open to the public.
UNL graduate student Kristen Weber, in fulfillment of her master's degree, has identified four
groupings of women's garments from the Katie Best collection within the Historic Costume Collection.
These four groupings span the years 1880 through 1940 and illustrate the evolution of women's domestic,
workplace, community and political roles. To further clarify and support the garment selections, images
from middle class periodicals of the time such as Ladies Home Journal and Good Housekeeping were
consulted. Twenty garments will be exhibited as well as reference and organizational materials Weber used
to build her collection.
(more)
321 Canfield Administration Bldg. / P.O. Box 880424 / Lincoln, NE 68588-0424
(402) 472-2211 FAX (402) 472-7825 / http://newsroom.unl.edu/releases/
Best of the Best: An exhibition of historic clothing at Hillestad Gallery, Page 2
The Hillestad Gallery is on the second floor of the Home Economics Building and is part of the
Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design in the UNL College of Education and Human
Sciences. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and by appointment. Admission is free. Guest
parking is available near the building and metered stalls are located in the Nebraska East Union lot. For
more information, call 402-472-2911 or visit http://textilegallery.unl.edu.
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Writer: Wendy Weiss
Photo downloads:
White printed cotton dress, circa 1880s. Katie Best, donor. Courtesy of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion
Design Department. Photographer: Orville Friesen.
http://newsroom.unl.edu/releases/downloadables/photo/20120423whitedress.jpg
Brown business dress, circa 1895. Katie Best, donor. Courtesy of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion
Design Department. Photographer: Orville Friesen.
http://newsroom.unl.edu/releases/downloadables/photo/20120423browndress.jpg
Lingerie dress, circa 1880s. Katie Best, donor. Courtesy of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design
Department. Photographer: Orville Friesen.
http://newsroom.unl.edu/releases/downloadables/photo/20120423lingeriedress.jpg