150 years of Derby fashion takes center stage in new exhibit

150 years of Derby fashion takes center stage in new exhibit

150 years of Derby fashion takes center stage in new exhibit

Kentucky Derby Museum continues Derby 150 celebrations with ribbon cutting Wednesday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (July 10, 2024) – In front of special guests and several fashionistas who made notable contributions, Kentucky Derby Museum proudly unveiled the grand opening of See & Be Seen: 150 Years of Derby Fashion.

This exhibit is a time capsule that takes visitors through decades of Kentucky Derby ® fashion with 32 ensembles dating as far back as the 1860s. Staying true to the museum's mission to engage everyone about the extraordinary experience that is the Kentucky Derby, the museum launched a public fashion contest in 2023. Some of the winners of that contest now have their ensembles and accessories on display in the exhibit.

The chance to participate in the fun doesn't stop there! Guests who visit the exhibit in the month of July will have the chance to enter a drawing to win a Derby Fashion and Hat Workshop for a group of four. This is a new program the museum launched in March.

Fashion is tightly woven into the fabric of the Kentucky Derby’s history and culture. Since the first spectators arrived at the Louisville Jockey Club in 1875, clothing has transformed the racetrack into a place where status and identity, function and creativity, and beauty and humor may be read in every well-chosen hat, bowtie, and ensemble.

The culmination of years of research, Chris Goodlett, Director of Curatorial and Educational Affairs, said the exhibit is representative of every kind of Derby-goer. "We hope that guests see themselves in this collection - from the extravagant, to the casual, to the do-it-yourselfer, there's truly something that speaks to everyone."

The exhibit includes historic fashion artifacts from the Kentucky Derby Museum Permanent Collection, the Kentucky Historical Society, the Filson Historical Society, the Kentucky Science Center, and private lenders. The museum would like to thank all participating organizations and individuals for generously loaning these items.

Winners of the contest were invited and honored for their donations during the ribbon cutting. Kentucky Derby Museum presented each one with a sash, a nod to European racing fashion contest traditions.

Pat Armstrong, Kentucky Derby Museum's President and CEO, said the exhibit is as much a homage to the past 150 years as a mirror to the next century. "Like many things in life, we know that fashion repeats itself over time," Armstrong said. "You can see the parallels to the past in the winning contest submissions, and that speaks to the longevity and phenomenon that is the Kentucky Derby."

See & Be Seen: 150 Years of Derby Fashion is now open to the public on the second floor of the museum and it is included with a general admission ticket. The exhibit was intentionally opened this summer to carry on the Derby 150 excitement all year and build on the record summer travel momentum in Louisville. This temporary fashion exhibit is blazing the path to the permanent exhibit set to open in 2025, ahead of Kentucky Derby Museum's 40th anniversary.

Media note: Members of the media needing photos and/or video of Wednesday's grand opening can access this Dropbox. All usage must include a courtesy for Kentucky Derby Museum.