Instagram Takeover: Our Curator of Interpretation & “Glamour on Board”

In honor of our latest costume exhibition—Glamour on Board: Fashion from Titanic the Movie—we invited Leslie Klingner, Biltmore’s Curator of Interpretation, to take over our Instagram!

In a series of posts shown below, she shared more information about the exhibition, including some exclusive details from our Glamour on Board Premium Guided Tour.

 

A post shared by Biltmore (@biltmoreestate) on Apr 3, 2018 at 7:05am PDT

“What a privilege it has been to create the first large-scale exhibition of the original costumes from the film #Titanic!

Working directly with @20thcenturyfox, my team members and I were able to select more than fifty costumes that were worn during the production of the film. Much of the costuming had been packed away for safe storage for the last 20 years.

From Kate Winslet’s iconic broad-brimmed purple hat to the handsome white tie and tails Leo wore to dinner, we marveled that they had retained so much material from the making of the movie.”

 

A post shared by Biltmore (@biltmoreestate) on Apr 3, 2018 at 7:59am PDT

“As a historian, I think it’s fascinating that the film #Titanic featured several prominent historical figures who were on board the ship.

Among these were Lady Duff Gordon, a celebrated British fashion designer; mining magnate Benjamin Guggenheim; and socialite Madeline Astor.

The stunning wardrobes created for each of these characters give a true reflection of what members of this sector of society would have been wearing—and insight into their individual tastes and personalities. The iridescent blue and black beaded dress designed for #LadyDuffGordon is my favorite in the film!”

 

A post shared by Biltmore (@biltmoreestate) on Apr 3, 2018 at 8:50am PDT

“Costume designer Deborah Lynn Scott and her team were scrupulous in their research into the historical fashion of the 1910s.

They drew inspiration from portraits and periodicals of the time and looked closely at the work of revolutionary couturiers such as Paul Poiret. Poiret first introduced the tapered 'hobble skirt' look that Rose wore on deck. This style narrowed toward the hem and was said to allow women a greater freedom of movement by eliminating petticoats and corsets.

#Poiret was a favorite designer of Edith Vanderbilt’s as well, so it’s no wonder the costumes look so at home in Biltmore House.”

 

A post shared by Biltmore (@biltmoreestate) on Apr 3, 2018 at 10:56am PDT

“Another of my favorite features of this exhibition are the mannequins’ wigs, which were custom-made to match the actor and actresses own hairstyles.

Constructed of watercolor paper and curled by hand, each wig is a work of art in its own right! They also give us the perfect opportunity to show off the fanciful hats, feathered headpieces, combs, and tiaras that were the height of fashion at the time.”

 

A post shared by Biltmore (@biltmoreestate) on Apr 3, 2018 at 12:36pm PDT

“Seeing the exhibition in person reveals a level of detail in the costumes in #Titanic that can’t be fully appreciated just by watching the film.

Though there are some tight shots of Rose’s red dress as she perched precariously on the edge of the ship, you would never have a true sense of its beauty or detail. Each bead on this dress was hand-applied and there are enough of them to make it quite weighty! With all of this exceptional ornamentation, the dress weighs almost ten pounds!”

 

A post shared by Biltmore (@biltmoreestate) on Apr 3, 2018 at 12:39pm PDT

Glamour on Board: Fashion from Titanic the Movie is on display in the grand rooms of Biltmore House now through May 13. Follow us on Instagram @biltmoreestate for exclusive info about #titanicatbiltmore and more!