This summer Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop Museum are hosting a special exhibition of eye-catching costumes inspired by a wedding scene from one of Shakespeare’s much-loved comedies As You Like It, expertly designed and created by the students of Edinburgh University’s College of Art (ECA).
As you like it Costume Exhibition
Opens to the public Saturday 15th June
Ends Saturday 31st August
The 15 bridal outfits, designed by third year performance costume students, will be part of a theatrical showcase hosted within the historic walls of the Famous Blacksmiths Shop at Gretna Green, the Original Home of Romance.
This special project was supported by Gretna Green Ltd who helped the students meet the costs of their materials and who set a design challenge as part of the original brief. The students showcased their designs on stage at the annual Performance Costume Show at ECA’s famous sculpture court on Friday 17th May, where Kevin Stewart, Head of Marketing at Gretna Green handed out prizes to the three winning designs.
Kevin Stewart, Head of Marketing at Gretna Green, said: “We’re delighted to be able to support this project and showcase the creative talents of young people studying in Scotland. It’s an exciting opportunity for us to host such a unique exhibit to an international audience and the context of the project complements the history and heritage of Gretna Green.”
The student’s designs were created for the wedding feast scene in Shakespeare’s play, during which four couples are married. Their off-white gowns, embellished with silver and gold, each reflective of different time periods between the 1600s and the 1950s.
Each student has used traditional and contemporary textile techniques combined with historical pattern cutting to create a bespoke costume for their era.
The costumes will be exhibited throughout this summer at the five-star visitor attraction’s Famous Blacksmiths Shop Museum, where couples from England have historically ran away to get married.
Megan Baker, Director of Performance Costume at Edinburgh College of Art, said: “The students have shown a huge amount of skill in using historical and contemporary techniques to create their costumes. We are delighted to have partnered with Gretna Green Ltd for this project, and it will be fantastic to have our students’ work on show at this iconic venue during the summer.”
