Pioneering women honoured in display

Northbrook MET Costume degree students have showcased their work in an exhibition at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery.
Students, from left to right: Claudia Cherrett, Sophie Merry, Grace Drake, Louise MorleyStudents, from left to right: Claudia Cherrett, Sophie Merry, Grace Drake, Louise Morley
Students, from left to right: Claudia Cherrett, Sophie Merry, Grace Drake, Louise Morley

The exhibition Their Fight, Our Future included nine Victorian women’s costumes, designed and created by the students.

The costume designs pay homage to pioneering women of the time, including a social activist, physician, astronomer, explorer and suffragette.

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Organiser Grace Drake, a student at the Worthing university, said: “We started by making a corset, bustle and petticoat

“These were very intricate makes – especially the corset – as there was a lot of pinning, hand-sewing, sewing, re-sewing, unpicking and then sewing again.

“Our top skirts and bodices were the only pieces that were decorated individually to fit our women.”

After seven intense weeks of pattern cutting, designing, stitching and ironing, the costumes were completed ready for the exhibition.

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Grace said, “We are eternally grateful to Brighton Museum for hosting us and our costumes, and for the support and encouragement from Northbrook MET staff who helped to get us where we are now.”

The costumes will be on display at Brighton Museum’s International Women’s Day celebration on Saturday.

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