Events: Montreal's textile scene

Detail of Pucci, tunic and leggings, 1965

The McCord Museum's next show runs May 26 - September 25. Titled "Eleganza: Italian Fashion from 1945 to Today", and organized by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, it

"celebrates the work of the most celebrated Italian designers, particularly following World War II. In addition to viewing numerous dresses and creations by Valentino, Armani, Fendi, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Emilio Pucci, to name just a few, the public will discover pieces by new and emerging designers as well as a range of accessories, photographs, magazines, drawings and film clips: all witnesses to the glamour and influence of Italian fashion from 1945 to today."

The Musée de la Mode's exhibition "Parcours d'une élégante" celebrates the fashion collection of an individual woman.

"Over the last few years, this generous donor has given the museum more than 550 inspiring garments and accessories. The exhibition presents 300 of them as a series of refined outfits, reflecting their owner’s unique, sophisticated image. Whether bought from fancy boutiques or thrift shops, made at home or in specialized workshops, each piece tells the story of an elegant woman: authentic, curious, discreet." 

Ends August 28, 2016.

The Barbie Expo continues at the Cours Montréal. the largest permanent exhibition of Barbie dolls in the world. It features one thousand little mannequins, including those dressed by world-renowned designers: Christian Dior, Donna Karan, Armani, Ralph Laurent, Vera Wang, Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta, Christian Louboutin, Zac Posen, Carolina Herrera and Reem Acra.

And let's not forget the biennial quilt show staged by Courtepointes Quebec, May 26 - 29, at Collège André-Grasset. Salon 2016 is a showcase for Quebec quilt-making, including the traditional, the contemporary and the innovative. Workshops are available on a wide range of subjects.

Finally, another exhibition that interests me is not restricted to textiles, but focuses on the 20th-century design collaboration of Alfred H. Barr, Jr. and Philip Johnson.

"The exhibition traces the development of modern design from Bauhaus up to the influential MoMA exhibitions of the 1930s. It brings together archival documents and over seventy design objects - furniture, textiles, and industrial products...."

 Partners in Design continues at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts until August 21.