The History of Garment Care with Dr Paola di Trocchio

Join Dr Paola Di Trocchio to discover the evolution of garment care and laundering from Ancient Rome to the present day.

Over time, domestic laundering practices have evolved along with societal attitudes around hygiene as well as practical considerations such as access to water.

Developments in science also occurred alongside certain myths. For example, in the Middle Ages, the dark was believed to carry diseases and a layer of dirt was believed to protect one from illness. Conversely, in the 19th century household manuals carried specific recipes for the removals of oil stains on silk cloth and read like sorcerer’s spell books.

Dr Paola Di Trocchio is a leading fashion curator, writer, and speaker. In her 20-year career at the National Gallery of Victoria, she curated and co-curated 22 fashion and textiles exhibitions.

Part of the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival Independent Programme.