Fortuny at The Hammond Castle Museum

It’s not every day one discovers vintage couture tucked away in a closet.  In 2019, a visitor on a tour noticed some iconic fabric and raised the point that she believed them to be Mariano Fortuny gowns.  She was right! Both garments, dating between 1920 and 1930, are velvet tabard gowns in Fortuny’s “Eleonora” Renaissance style and feature the famous pleating. The two gowns have only been on display once before in 2019, and were neatly folded on a shelf in Irene’s closet for decades. Luckily we were able to locate documents regarding these very special gowns in our records.  

These breathtaking vintage, couture gowns will go on display for a brief period in September.