The world of fashion is brought to your fingertips in a new virtual exhibition by Google and the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum
3000 years of the world’s fashion is brought together in the largest virtual exhibition of style. The “We wear culture” project by Google Arts & Culture is a collaboration with the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum and over 180 renowned cultural institutions from New York, London, Paris, Lisburn, Tokyo, São Paulo and around the world Using state-of-the-art technology, the project allows you to explore everything from the ancient Silk Road, through the courtly fashions of Versailles, Irish linen to British punk and the stories behind the clothes you wear today. Iconic pieces that changed the way generations dressed, such as Marilyn Monroe’s high heels or the Black Dress by Chanel are brought to life in virtual reality. Fashion through the Ages: Irish Linen by the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum is now available online as part of the global exhibition opening today.
Fashion experts, curators and designers as well as universities, museums and NGOs from around the world collaborated on the exhibition to show that fashion is a part of our history and culture, a form of art and a result of true craftsmanship with a multifaceted impact. Google’s state-of-the-art technology, including virtual reality, 360° videos, Street View and ultra-high resolution “gigapixel” images were used to preserve the collections and make them available for everyone.
Highlights available online from the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum include:
- With the help of indoor Street View online visitors can walk through our Market House gallery and the more-recent Irish Linen Centre, and discover the history of Lisburn, from its 17th-century origins and famed link to the linen industry, through to our temporary exhibition spaces, and our range of First World War (1914-18) exhibitions.
- Online visitors can discover Fashion through the Ages: Irish Linen, and view embroidered linen, rich silk, beautiful damask woven in Lisburn or watch our Jacquard looms at work!
Brian Mackey, Curator of the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum, said: “the project offered a fantastic platform to show off the museum’s internationally-recognised collection, and allow virtual visitors the opportunity to learn all about Lisburn’s rich heritage and its role in Ireland’s greatest industry, linen”.