Exhibition on The Bowes Museum founder Joséphine Bowes' fashion to open in Barnard Castle this weekend

The in-focus display will highlight Joséphine influence as a socialite and devotee of fashion as well as co-founder of the museum itself.

Hannah Jackson, the Museum’s Fashion and Textile Curatorial Assistant said Joséphine loved fashion and bills from the museum’s archive show that she was spending large sums on her clothes and accessories.

Among the key pieces in the show is a newly conserved lavender silk evening bodice worn by Joséphine, which will be teamed with a specially commissioned matching skirt, reconstructed by renowned historical and theatrical costumier Luca Costigliolo in an imitation of the woven geometrical design taken from the original bodice.

“The silk for the skirt was sourced by Luca in his native Italy,” said Ms Jackson. “He designed and cut the skirt, which was then sewn by costume interpreter Viviane Chen, using Luca’s own pattern based on historical research. He also designed and made the crinoline and petticoat to create the correct fashionable silhouette.”

Also unveiled in the display will be a midnight-blue velvet evening jacket by the famous couturier Elsa Schiaparelli, purchased for the Museum by Ms Jackson with the aid of an Art Fund New Collecting Award, which awarded her a grant of £60,000 to invest in a capsule wardrobe of French haute couture in homage to Joséphine, herself a Frenchwoman.

The fitted evening jacket was created for Schiaparelli’s autumn/winter 1937-8 collection and is richly embroidered by Lesage, with gilt strip and cord, sequins, rhinestones and three large turquoise star shaped buttons.

One of Joséphine’s blouses - an article of clothing which became very fashionable in the early 1860s, making separates an appealing trend for the first time - will also feature in the display.

The exhibition opens on Saturday and will run until January 7, 2018.

For more information visit thebowesmuseum.org.uk or call 01833-690606.