Hagley Museum celebrates 75th Anniversary of Nylon

"Silk Stockings

So soft and so sheer

The dear Silk

Stockings you wore"

Lyrics and music by Cole Porter

Today that should be an ode to Nylon.  With the creation of nylon, silk stockings became a memory of the past. The Hagley Museum in Delaware just opened a new exhibit in April called Fashion Meets Science: Introducing Nylon This exhibit shows how nylon revolutionized the fashion industry and influenced how people have dressed since its launch in 1938 by the DuPont Company.

Fashion Meets Science: Introducing Nylon celebrates the 75th anniversary of nylon’s introduction to the fashion world. On October 27, 1938, a brand new material named nylon was announced to the public. Created in DuPont’s labs, nylon replaced silk in the ladies hosiery industry. Nylon was so popular that its early sales created near riots.

The highlight of the exhibit is the early development of nylon and its impact on the fashion industry, but it includes other uses for the discovery such as parachutes, toothbrushes, and carpet.

Nylon Wedding Dress

Visitors will be able to view the first polyamide fiber sample (basis of nylon) and first souvenir sample of nylon thread, first all-nylon woven fabric, one of the first pairs of stockings manufactured at the Experimental Station, and the first pair of seamless stockings; the first wedding dress made of nylon (1942), first dress made of 100 percent spun nylon (1949), and first nylon football pants will also be on display in addition to other nylon “firsts.”

Nylon Quiana Jacket.

Visitors can see the first nylon overlay lace dress (1940) and a prototype black nylon nightgown from Vanity Fair (1947). Clothing made from Qiana, a silky nylon fiber that debuted in the late 1960s and influenced fashion of the disco era, will also be displayed.

 Featured Qiana items include a Bill Blass Qiana Boudoir Robe (1968-1969), William Travilla Qiana evening gown (1968-1969), Oscar de la Renta Qiana wrap dress (1968-1969), Charles Kleibacker Qiana cocktail dress.

So for all you nylon   and fashion buffs this exhibit runs through March 31, 2014. Hagley Museum and Library is located on Route 141 in Wilmington, Delaware. Call (302) 658-2400 weekdays for more information or visit www.hagley.org.

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Neumann University students walk the runway for a Cause

For members of the Fashion For A Cause (FFAC) at Neumann University their goal is not only to make you look fashionable but to make the fashionista in you help others.

On April 19 students will walk the runway showing off gorgeous looks  at the Mirenda Center Community Hall at Neumann University in Aston. Maria Sotomayor, vice president of FFAC is proud of her hardworking members who come from diverse backgrounds and reach out to others focusing on their community.

“Our fashion show is our major event of the year, the purpose of our show is not to showcase the latest trends, but to use our talents and teamwork to help a special non-profit organization through our show. All of our proceeds this year will go to a program run by the non-profit organization, La Puerta Abierta/The Open Door, which provides mental health services to immigrants in Philadelphia, “said Sotomayer.

La Puerta Abierta created the Youth Mentorship Initiative focusing on meeting the needs of immigrant youth regardless of immigration status. This is a youth driven program that helps create a supportive and therapeutic community for teens and college age undocumented citizens.

“As a group, we know how difficult being a teenager is; the mission of the program caught our attention, because everyone deserves the chance to be treated equally and having mentors to support them and guide them is very important, “explains Sotomayor.

This year’s fashion show will feature clothes from Louella, a women’s clothing store in Wayne owned by Mary Delany. Members will wear their own favorite spring outfits and accessories. The students will be showing off their own uniqueness choosing clothes that tell what fashion looks like to them .

The goal for the club is to use the universal language of fashion to help young people love the skin they’re in empowering their self- esteem and talents. But even more, the members are committed to helping their communities any way they can.

FFAC hosts A Case for Smiles by ConKeer Cancer creating bright cheerful pillowcases for children. Many volunteer at Dress for Success which helps unemployed women find clothes to wow their potential employers. The students participate in the Neumann Cultural Arts Forum and Luncheon which benefits the Mary Kearney Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University.

Along with the ticket price of $10 for guests and $7 for students there will be performances by talented singing Neumann students and light refreshments. The show starts at 7 p.m. You can't beat the price or the causes these young people are dedicated to. Keep Styling in Delco