Advanced Costume Mounting

After taking FIT’s initial costume mounting course, Parker discovered her love and passion for creating invisible mounts. This lead her to take an advanced study in costume mounting that had a focus on invisible mounts for both modern and contemporary objects. While working with her objects, Parker had to conduct several conservation treatments to preserve the longevity of the garment. Due to the fragility of the bodice she was working with, Parker also constructed a toile to limit the handling of the bodice. During this class she also experienced one of her most challenging projects. While it looks simple, the gold Martha Graham dance costume consisted of several design elements, such as a leotard on the inside, that made her think deeper about the success of the mount without damaging the object. She chose to create a mount that had a clear back to allow viewers to see the intricate seaming throughout the bodice, while also making the arms moveable to be able to support the weight of the sleeves while being able to achieve a dancer’s posture. The last project she completed for this class was a mount for a reconstruction of Jane Austen’s silk pelisse for A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250 featured at the Morgan Library.