Fashion magazine, published in Dutch and German, The Netherlands 1944 (TRC 2020.5174).Making Something from Nothing – Dutch clothes and textiles during World War II.
Upcycling, sourcing local materials, mending and preserving clothing are all modern topics of conversation when thinking about sustainability in fashion. These concepts, however, have an extensive past and were at the heart of people’s daily life in a time of material shortages like World War II in the Netherlands.
How did people make clothing and still feel fashionable when there was nothing? The lecture will look at a series of objects from the Netherlands, illustrating war time inventiveness - ranging from dresses made from old maps and parachutes, a fancy coat made out of mouse fur or even clothing made out of mattress material. The lecture will look at each piece, give an opportunity to interact with them and talk about the context in which these items were made and worn.
Augusta de Gunzbourg is head of exhibitions and education at the TRC, and has been studying the TRC collection closely for the past five years, working on telling its many stories. She has a Master’s degree of Leiden University and her research focuses on historical fashion and Asian textiles.
- Date: Sunday, 8 March 2026. Moved to: Sunday 3 May 2026.
- Time: 14.00 - 15.00 pm (the TRC will remain open for participants until 16.00).
- Venue: TRC Leiden, Boerhaavelaan 6, 2334 EN, Leiden.
- Lecturer: Augusta de Gunzbourg.
- Language: English.
- Costs: 7.50 euros (to be paid on the day itself). Coffee/tea are provided.
Please register in advance: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
