What connects wood, fashion and 100 years of the Forestry Commission?
A new fashion exhibition, the ‘Tree of Life,’ is celebrating the connection of the National Trust’s Killerton estate to the founding of the Forestry Commission in 1919.
It’s a little known fact that 100 years ago, Devon MP Francis Acland, whose family owned the Killerton estate, was one of the founding fathers of the committee which led to the creation of the Forestry Commission in 1919. To mark the centenary of his contribution, Killerton’s new ‘Tree of Life’ fashion exhibition explores the connection between trees and what we wear, including high-fashion pieces made from barkcloth (pictured) by acclaimed British eco-fashion designer, José Hendo.
Fascinating items in the new exhibition include dresses made by Ugandan-born Hendo, who has been featured on various international Fashion Week runways, including London and New York. She promotes sustainability and challenges throwaway culture in her work, using materials from the Bukomansimbi Organic Tree Farmers' Association near Masaka in Southern Uganda.
Hendo’s work is just some amongst pieces chosen from the Trust’s much-loved fashion collection, housed upstairs on the first floor at Killerton near Exeter. Other interesting items include a Privy Councillor’s suit worn by Francis Acland M.P. embroidered with symbolic oak leaves and acorns in gold thread. Also, visitors can find out how the popular ‘Paisley’ pattern arrived on textiles via Indian designs based on a pine cone motif.
The exhibition demonstrates how materials processed from various species of trees can be used to make fibre, cloth, dyes, paper, footwear and headgear. It includes examples of clothing made from these materials, as well as decorative pieces patterned with motifs inspired by seasonal trees, leaves, blossom and fruit.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy an exciting new section of the displays, the handling corridor. This will give everyone the opportunity to discover more about ancient and traditional processes of making cloth from natural layers found beneath tree bark. The exhibition will also feature an exciting project by Exeter School of Art (Exeter College) Art and Design students echoing the theme of trees and woodland.
Shelley Tobin, Costume Curator, Killerton says: “From designs derived from the ‘Tree of Knowledge,’ and the ancient Persian flowering tree, or ‘Tree of Life’, to the more prosaic patterns of nature, decorative pieces celebrate the valuable resources provided by orchard and woodland. Printed, painted, woven and embroidered textiles dating from the 18th century onwards are all represented in the exhibition.”
The story of Francis Acland’s role in the Forestry Commission continues on the ground floor at Killerton with another new exhibition - ‘Seeing the wood and the trees.’ The exhibition looks at what happened in 1919 when the Forestry Commission was founded and how Killerton is working to look after woodlands and trees on the estate for the future.
For more information visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/killerton
The exhibition runs until 2 November 2019. Free to National Trust members. Normal admission prices apply.
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