“Weft and Warp”: The Artful Fabric of the Basil Papantoniou Foundation

An Anniversary Exhibition Celebrating 50 Years of Public Service and Creativity

To celebrate fifty years of the Basil Papantoniou Foundation and its founder’s research, publishing, displaying and preserving culturally significant objects, the Weft and Warp exhibition picks up the threads of the history of the costume to connect the past and tradition with the present and tomorrow’s innovations and challenges. The BPF’s extraordinary collection of artefacts and exceptional archive serve as the exhibition’s lodestar.

Since its foundation by Ioanna Papantoniou in 1974, the BPF has planned and implemented diverse activities. Like the weavers who warp the weaving loom in preparation for working on the textiles, the Foundation weaves the rich and multifaceted history of modern Greek clothing and material culture.

The exhibition highlights essential parts of this activity through a historical review of the work of the Basil Papantoniou Foundation and its founder and a journey through different aspects of the garment.

The section “The intricate web of the Vassilis Papantoniou Foundation” tells the story of the IBP, the fruit of the life and work of costume and stage designer Ioanna Papantoniou, and invites visitors to learn about aspects of its activities:

• Its first steps in Nafplio at the dawn of the post-political era and the creation of a pioneering museum, through architectural plans, exhibition models, photographs, catalogues and other memorabilia of its work,
• the historical records, the handwritten diaries of the researchers, the photographs and drawings from ethnographic research in Greece and abroad,
• its rare publications, which visitors can browse through with the help of an artificial intelligence (AI) application,
• the retro toys, constructions, envelopes, works from the educational programmes of the first museum of childhood in Greece, the “Station”,
• the posters of blockbuster periodic exhibitions that have left an indelible mark on the public’s memory; we all remember the posters of the 2004 Olympic Games,
• The documents of the research missions in our sister country Cyprus, just a few years after the Turkish invasion, which visitors can hear and see,
• the precious objects and clothes in the collections, rare local costumes and unique pieces of Greek and international fashion, from Callista’s jubilee bag to Vivienne Westwood’s tartan raincoat, etc.

The second section “Thoughts and Ideas for the Fashion Museum of Tomorrow…” highlights aspects of the web of processes, relationships and ideas that have always been woven around the importance of clothing in human societies, and is divided into six sections, presenting everything that fits into Ioanna Papantoniou’s vision for the Fashion Museum of Greece of tomorrow:

Do Our Clothes Speak?

Our clothes tell stories of their own: wardrobes of renowned and everyday individuals, military and school uniforms, vintage swimwear, and iconic costumes from unforgettable theatrical productions reveal aspects of identity, social roles, and cultural norms.

Craftsmanship

Handwoven textiles and garments, made from natural materials using techniques that continue to inspire and educate. Visitors will encounter traditional designs and patterns that have been reimagined in contemporary fashion.

Winds of Change

A glimpse into the celebrated national costume designed by Queen Amalia, the clothing that influenced its creation, as well as the uniform worn by Queen Olga and her court. Explore the sewing machines she donated to impoverished girls, corsets, and early 20th-century fashion trends.

Fashion is a Serious Matter

Rare pieces of 20th and 21st century fashion history—creations from Haute Couture designers such as Lanvin, Carvin, Mary Quant, Worth, Evaggelidis, Mavropoulos, and Tselenis—alongside prêt-à-porter and fast fashion garments like ours, reveal different facets of the intricate world of fashion.

Fashion and the Environment

Innovations in contemporary fashion include garments crafted from repurposed dresses and shirts, accessories made from recycled materials, and unconventional fabrics derived from fruit peels, presenting sustainable ideas and solutions that address environmental concerns.