From flocks to frocks (Status: Press release)

COSTUMES inspired by the Oxfordshire County Council Museum Service’s collection of wild birds will go on display on Friday, May 24.
The dresses, designed by freelance costume designer, Kate Plumtree, will be on show at the Oxfordshire Museum’s art gallery in Woodstock until September 28.

Kate Plumtree graduated from Wimbledon School of Art in 1992 with a BA (Hons) in costume design. She now runs workshops that focus on the many different aspects of costume design and construction.

Her latest collection is inspired by Oxfordshire Museum’s display of wild birds combined with the evolution of period dress.

Each costume represents an individual species of bird and a specific era of fashion, spanning from the 16th century to the present day.

The exhibition also includes the design drawings, large scale photography of the costumes modelled in natural habitats, and step-by-step photographs of how each garment was made – from sculptural constructions and fittings to creative textile techniques for creating surface texture, pattern and embellishment.