The National Museum of Singapore’s Fashion Gallery uses clothing to explore the shifting identities of Singapore women from the 1950s to the 1970s. It presents the era’s fashion as something that went beyond just clothes, having more to do with ideas and with the way people lived. A display of mid-20th century fashions shows how women’s roles changed from those of youth to homemakers and career women. Fabrics, dressmakers’ dummies, and sewing machines are arranged in a textile factory setting that provides an understanding of how various traditional and more modern garments are made.
Bringing gsmprjct°’s expertise in intercultural understanding into play, the Fashion Gallery is one of 4 award-winning Living Galleries designed by the company to present the social history of Singapore and define its people through lifestyle themes that remain close to their hearts. The Living Galleries are lighter museum fare featuring the high energy, impact, easy browsing, and interactivity that appeal to the younger generation, who are not traditionally museum-goers. Four specific themes were chosen to represent the history and social evolution of Singapore — food, fashion, photography and film. Each gallery is divided into two sections —a statement installation and behind-the-scenes workshops — enriched by artefacts and objects that embody the evolution of a society over the last century.