_{Image courtesy of McCORD Museum}

FASHIONING EXPO 67
17 March 2017 – 1 October 2017
McCORD Museum

Montreal, December 12, 2016 — Expo 67 marked a high point in the history of Montreal and Canada. Organized 50 years ago as part of Canada’s Centennial, this Universal and International Exposition received over 50 million visits. During an era of freedom and audacity, the world discovered Montreal and the city opened up to the world. To commemorate Montreal’s 375th anniversary, the McCord Museum will present the exhibition Fashioning Expo 67 from March 17 to October 1, 2017.

_{Image courtesy of McCORD Museum}

It is the first time that Expo 67 has been viewed through the prism of fashion, an original concept developed by the Museum. Embracing visual image, display, and spectacle to promote its optimistic and forward-looking world view, Expo was a watershed moment for Montreal. Its modern mix of art, architecture, technology and design conveyed a message of openness and creativity that resonated with the Canadian fashion milieu. Young designers and manufacturers alike seized the opportunity to participate in multiple projects and take advantage of this exceptional showcase to shine on a world stage. The exhibition will feature over 60 outfits—hostess uniforms from various pavilions, branded clothing by Quebec designers—and products from every sector of Canadian fashion, including hats, gloves, umbrellas, purses, jewellery, and even fur.

_{Image courtesy of McCORD Museum}

The different sections of the exhibition will also display drawings, photographs, archival footage, and documents. In addition, there will be videos of interviews that the Museum conducted with several designers from the era. The exhibition invites visitors to enter the world of Expo 67 and experience the effervescence of Montreal’s fashion moment. It was designed and developed by the McCord Museum, under the direction of Suzanne Sauvage, the Museum’s President and Chief Executive Officer, and Cynthia Cooper, its Head, Collections and Research, and Curator, Costume and Textiles, who also acted as curator.

_{Image courtesy of McCORD Museum}

“Expo 67 was a pivotal event in our history,” notes Suzanne Sauvage. “It had a major impact on Montreal architecture, urban planning, culture and society that continues to this day, and the field of fashion also had its moment in the sun. However, though Expo 67 left an indelible legacy, its spotlight on fashion has been all but forgotten. Drawing from the Museum’s vast Costume and Textiles collection and extensive research on Expo, the exhibition will illustrate the role of fashion during this period of history and the incredible boost it gave to Quebec designers.”

more. www.musee-mccord.qc.ca