Golden Bees : An exhibition of ladies costume inspired by the Court of Napoleon.
from 21 September to 22 October 2005
Guildford House Gallery hosted an exhibition of costume made by local costume maker Sarah Vickery.
Sarah has been a dedicated member of the Napoleonic Association, a world-wide research and re-enactment society for the past 12 years. She specialises the designing and making of period clothing inspired by the ladies of the Napoleonic Court.
The collection on display is the culmination of almost 20 years of research and hard work, and gives an insight into some of the women who shaped the period. Each gown has been worn just once and never been shown in an exhibition before.
The exhibition title "Golden Bees" comes from Napoleon’s cipher. The ‘Golden Bee’ was the symbol chosen by him and his advisers to represent himself and his dynasty. The bee was chosen by Napoleon because it is both pleasing to the eye and therefore easy to incorporate into the decorative arts; it is also a hard working and loyal insect and a symbol of eternal life in the ancient world. The symbol represented Napoleon and his supporters working for the benefit of France. The ‘Golden Bees’ became a term associated with the elite of the French court.
Sarah’s fascination with history began in her early school days, but manifested itself in an interest in the construction of period clothing while she studied for her History of Art and Fashion Diploma.
Following a period making and selling costumes from a unit in an antique centre, Sarah was discovered by a London based costume house who specialised in costume for stage and screen. On her first day she met Oscar winner Lindy Hemming, who was just finishing "The Krays". After completion of the film, Sarah was told to "get on with Caesar". The job was initially a two week agreement, but she continued there for a further three years.
During this time, Sarah was invited to her first Ball at Apsley House, the ancestral home of the Duke’s of Wellington, where the dress code stipulated by the V&A was 1800-1815. After the Ball, Sarah joined the Napoleonic Association and met hundreds of like-minded people. She has travelled the World with the Association, taking part in many re-enactments, and has appeared in many TV series and films as an extra. Sarah has travelled "everywhere that Napoleon went" in order to research the detail for her costumes.
The standard of clothing worn by re-enactors is extremely high, and extensive research is carried out to ensure it is as accurate as possible. The accuracy is far higher than required for a film production. Sarah particularly enjoys the research side, making sure that the tiniest detail is as accurate as it can be.
Seventeen years on, Sarah’s work mainly consists of private commissions. She describes this work as being an "absolute joy" and thrives on the freedom to create and be inspired by the lengthy research into life at Napoleon’s Court.
The garnet-coloured train was the first Napoleonic court robe Sarah ever attempted, and it is inspired by the famous coronation train of the Empress Josephine. All the costumes are inspired by descriptions in memoirs and from paintings of the period.
