How did the idea to create the Museum of Resort Fashion arise?
From 1816 to 1946 the modern town of Zelenogradsk stood on the site of the East Prussian resort Kranz. In 1946, after the Königsberg region was annexed to the RSFSR and Königsberg was renamed Kaliningrad, Kranz was renamed Zelenogradsk. On March 29, 1999 Zelenogradsk was designated a federal-level resort specializing in balneotherapy — treatment with mineral waters. That year the town reaffirmed its status. The museum’s concept is based on the centuries-old history of the resort: a Museum of Resort Fashion fit perfectly into the seaside town. The museum exhibition tells the story of costume development at seaside resorts. Our museum is the only one in Russia dedicated to this theme, which makes it unique. Through the prism of clothing, accessories and items of resort interior presented in the collection, one can learn about the culture and daily life of people from the late 19th to the early 21st century.
The museum is housed in the building of the former Yantar cinema. Why was this location chosen?
The location was chosen deliberately — it is at the beginning of Kurortny Prospekt, the most popular pedestrian and tourist street in Zelenogradsk. The Yantar cinema building was constructed in the popular Soviet style of cosmic futurism in 1965. In the 1990s the building ceased to operate as a cinema, and in the 2000s a children’s sports school opened there. Later the building housed a clothing market, and then the city authorities put it up for sale. We purchased the former cinema, breathed life into it and opened the Museum of Resort Fashion.
Museum of Resort Fashion. Photo: mumod.ru
How was the museum’s exhibition assembled?
The museum’s exhibition includes original historic costumes, interior items and accessories provided by the collection of fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev. The collection is incredible: it contains items that have long been out of production because they are no longer relevant. For example, hat pins that past fashionistas used to secure hats to high hairstyles so they wouldn’t be blown off by the wind.
Collection of hats. Photo: mumod.ru
Tell us about the most unusual exhibits in the museum.
The museum’s collection includes a dress with a turnure — a special device for creating the characteristic silhouette with an intentionally protruding lower body in an S-shape, which was popular in the last third of the 19th century. There is also a dress with gigot sleeves — in French the word means “leg of mutton.” In the past such dresses were the height of fashion, but today garments with that cut are made only for film and theater. In addition, the museum displays many summer umbrellas called parasols. They look like classic umbrellas but are made of fabric and are intended for sun protection. They were used by young women and ladies of the nobility — their skin was supposed to be pale because a tan was considered a sign of low birth. Besides parasols, noblewomen used wide-brimmed hats and gloves for sun protection. Incidentally, the parasol is returning to fashion in a modern interpretation. The museum also displays several small travel suitcases or cases known as necessaires — in modern terms these are simple travel toiletry kits with one or two pockets. Necessaires were used by both women and men, with a compartment for each hygiene item. The exhibition includes costumes and dresses of Soviet actresses and ballerinas donated by the collection as a token of friendship. Notably, the mannequins displaying these garments have waists of only 50 centimeters! Some exhibition dresses had to be pinched to fit the mannequins, but the dresses of well-known dancers and ballerinas fit perfectly. And even 50 centimeters is not the absolute record: in the late 19th century ladies came to the Kranz resort in voluminous dresses with hoop skirts and corsets that cinched the waist down to 38 centimeters!
Museum showcase. Photo: mumod.ru
What tour programs and events does the museum offer?
At our museum we offer a classic guided tour of the exhibition and the resort history of Zelenogradsk: we explain how the concept of a resort arose and how the first spa treatments appeared. Visitors can listen to a live guide or buy a ticket with an audio guide. For young people we developed an interactive museum quest called “The Secret is in the Details,” which helps them get to know the exhibition through quizzes and puzzles. We also have a lecture series featuring speakers from Kaliningrad and lecturers from other Russian cities, for example cultural historian Nikolai Onegin from the State Hermitage and historians from Moscow. The lecture series also hosts master classes with photographers, makeup artists and stylists. At the end of this year or next year we plan to launch a series of jewelry-making workshops. Since the museum’s space is roomy and has good acoustics, our premises are often rented for large retro-quests. Many additional services and options are available at our museum; we gladly participate in many events or organize them ourselves.
Museum interior. Photo: mumod.ru
Museum interior. Photo: mumod.ru
What are the museum’s plans for the future?
The museum is only two years old — this is just the beginning. In the future we plan to expand our range of master classes and organize meetings with prominent figures from the fashion industry. For example, Mikhail Zhebrak — a guide, author and host of the TV program “Peshkom” on the Kultura channel — has already given a talk here, and of course we are often visited by the owner of the collection — the world-renowned fashion historian, writer and lecturer Alexander Vasiliev. Our museum is part of the private creative association “Sea of Museums.” Its founders opened the Cat Museum “MURARIUM” in Zelenogradsk more than ten years ago, which has become a city brand. The group includes the Museum of Resort Fashion, the Museum of Skulls and Skeletons, MURARIUM, the “House of Angels” Museum, the Museum of Owls “FiloSovia,” the eco-site “Green CAT,” and the Museum of Garbage Kaliningrad “MU MU KA.” We have a large museum group and active museum programming; we strive for collaborations and are constantly developing!
