Fashion History Museum facts for kids

The Fashion History Museum is a special place in Canada that tells the story of clothes and style through time. It was started in 2004 by two people, Jonathan Walford and Kenn Norman. For many years, the museum showed its amazing collection in different places. From 2015 to March 2025, it had a main gallery in Cambridge, Ontario. The museum is a non-profit group, which means it's run for the public good, not to make money.

The Fashion History Museum building in the Old Hespeler Post Office

The Story of the Museum

Who Started It?

The Fashion History Museum was founded by Jonathan Walford and Kenn Norman. Jonathan Walford is the museum's Curator. He has been collecting old clothes and fashion items since the 1970s. He found many pieces at auctions, garage sales, and even saved some from the trash! He also wrote several books about fashion.

Kenn Norman is the museum's Director. He has a background in managing projects and design. Together, they created this unique museum.

Early Days and Traveling Shows

For its first ten years, the museum did not have a permanent home. Instead, it created exciting exhibitions that traveled all over Canada and even to other countries like Hong Kong and Bahrain.

In 2013, the museum tried out a small gallery in a mall in Cambridge, Ontario. It was very popular, with almost 8,000 visitors in just four and a half months!

A Home in an Old Post Office

In June 2015, the museum found a special new home. It opened in a 3,000 square foot building that used to be a post office. This old post office was built in 1929 in Hespeler, which is now part of Cambridge.

The museum kept the beautiful original floors and added old-style lights. People even helped raise money to fix the big clock above the front doors. Cambridge was once a big center for making textiles, like fabrics and clothes. This made the museum a perfect fit for the town's history.

Moving On

The museum's time at the Hespeler Post Office ended in March 2025. The City of Cambridge stopped funding the museum in 2023, which led to the lease ending. The museum's amazing collection is now safely stored away. The Fashion History Museum is currently looking for a new place to open its doors again.

What's in the Collection?

The museum has a huge collection of over 10,000 fashion items! These items show how fashion has changed over hundreds of years.

For example, you might find what could be the oldest European shoe worn in North America. It's from around 1660! The collection also includes fancy dresses by famous Hollywood designer Adrian. You can even see fun items like 1970s handbags made from cigarette packs.

Past Exhibitions

Before having its main gallery, the museum created many traveling and pop-up shows. Here are some of the interesting exhibitions the museum has presented:

Exhibitions from 2009 to 2014

• Open Drawers (Highlights from the collection)
• Talkin' Bout My Generation (Fashion from the 1960s)
• Everyday Wear (Daily clothes from 1820 to 1920)
• The Towering Art of the Shoe (High-heeled shoes from 1780 to 1980)
• Nuclear Fashion (Fashion advertising from 1946 to 1964)
• Winter Sports (Sports fashion from 1880 to 1930)
• A Shoe Story (Shoes from 1780 to 1980)
• Paisley and Plaid: Recurring Patterns in Fashion
• Fashion for the Future: New items from the 2000s
• It's in the Bag: A History of Purse Styles
• MODe: Fashions of the 1960s
• Street Style: Fashions in Waterloo County 1853 - 1973

Exhibitions from 2015 to 2017

When the main gallery opened in June 2015, it featured:

• Treasures from the Collection
• Back to the Eighties
• What to do with an old post office?
• Punks and Posers: 1980s Portraits from New York and London

Image of the Treasures from the Collection exhibit

In 2016, exhibitions included:

• To Meet the Queen: What to Wear in the Presence of Royalty
• A Canadian Fashion Story: Pat McDonagh 1967–2014
• Tying the Knot: 200 Years of Wedding Attire
• Wild and Rare: Fashion and Endangered Species

Image of the Wild and Rare exhibit

In 2017, some shows were:

• Dior: 1947–1962
• Fashioning Canada Since 1867
• Jane Austen's World: 1792 - 1817

Exhibitions from 2018 to 2024

• 2018: 101 Tales of Fashion
• 2019: Made in France
• 2020/2021: All exhibitions were cancelled due to COVID, and the gallery was renovated instead.
• 2022: The museum reopened with shows like:
  • 300 Years of Fashion (40 outfits from 1720 to 2020)
  • Frock On - A Century of Teenage Fashion, Music, and Culture, 1920 - 2020
  • Specs Appeal - A History of Eyewear
  • Portraits from Mali: Photographs by Malick Sidibe and Seydou Keïta 1951 - 1976
• 2023: Exhibitions included:
  • 300 Years of Fashion (45 outfits from 1720 to 2020, a different selection)
  • The Bead Goes On: Bob Mackie Gowns for Cher
  • Wearing Waterloo: Local Fashions from the Waterloo Region
• 2024: The museum's final exhibitions at this location included:
  • 300 Years of Fashion (46 outfits from 1720 to 2020, another new selection)
  • Only Fans - 250 Years of Unfolding Beauty
  • Hat-ology: A Lexicon of Hat Styles
  • Nuclear Fashion: Advertising Fashion during the Baby Boom