EFHA: How did the exhibition topic come about? How did you approach the curatorial development of Rococo Reboot to balance rigorous historical research with contemporary reinterpretation?

Eve Demoen: As of 2024, Modemuseum Hasselt has updated its exhibition policy to place greater focus on its own collection, which contains approximately 19,000 objects. The museum now organizes two types of exhibitions. The first are transhistorical, thematic exhibitions—such as M&Others. Fashion and Motherhood—that involve loans and collaborations with other institutions. The second type is based entirely on objects from our own collection.

This new approach allows the museum team, especially the collections team, to conduct renewed research on registered objects and offer fresh insights from a contemporary perspective and new research. Since the museum does not have the space to present a permanent collection display, this method enables us to both share our collection with the public and attach new meanings to it. It also allows us to work more sustainably: there is no need for transportation or external loans, and the scenography is reused.

Unlike thematic exhibitions, which begin with a central theme and involve searching for specific objects, collection-based exhibitions start with the objects themselves. We allow them to “speak first” before defining the curatorial concept. This process fosters close collaboration between the exhibition curator and the conservator. Sarah Scaturro’s article on collection-focused curating and exhibition-making was a major inspiration in developing this new policy (https://www.bloomsburycollections.com/book/fashion-curating-critical-practice-in-the-museum-and-beyond/ch1-confronting-fashion-s-death-drive-conservation-ghost-labor-and-the-material-turn-within-fashion-curation ).

The idea is to create a series of exhibitions that focus on specific time periods, starting from 1750 up to the present day. Rococo Reboot (fashion 1750-1830) is the first exhibition in this series and explores the oldest part of our collection. It begins by examining the contemporary, romanticized image of the Rococo period as seen in popular media such as Bridgerton and Marie Antoinette, which is reflected in the first galleries. The main idea is to ‘reboot’ the notions we have of Rococo, hence the title, so the rest of the exhibition aims to deconstruct these clichés and present alternative narratives around daily life and fashion, including topics such as hygiene, scent, dressing rituals, and undergarments. In doing so, we reinterpret the objects in our collection from a modern perspective. All new research findings are documented in our registration system.

EFHA: How did you conceive the structure and design of the exhibition space to reflect the themes of Rococo and its contemporary reimagining? Did you collaborate with many professionals (architects, graphic designers…) to envision the space?

ED: This project presented a considerable curatorial and logistical challenge, as we repurposed the scenography from our previous exhibition on fashion and motherhood—an exhibition that primarily showcased modern and contemporary garments—and adapted it to suit the aesthetic and historical context of the 18th and early 19th centuries. This transformation was undertaken in close collaboration with scenography studio Pièce Montée. The curatorial concept centers on the idea of “rebooting” the Rococo period, a theme that extends beyond the selection of objects to encompass the exhibition’s entire visual identity, scenographic design, and visitor experience. For instance, the graphic designer employed artificial intelligence to reinterpret classical Rococo imagery, resulting in wallpaper designs that merge historical motifs with contemporary materials—such as bows and frills composed of Apple earbud wires—or floral prints that appear animated and dynamic. Given the scarcity and often fragile condition of extant objects from this early period—most of which originate from elite social strata—we were compelled to adopt innovative strategies to construct a more inclusive, nuanced narrative that challenges conventional interpretations of the era. To enhance the sensory experience, we collaborated with sound designers who reimagined period-appropriate compositions featuring the harpsichord and developed ASMR-style audio elements that evoke tactile and domestic experiences, such as the sound of moving textiles, flowing water, washing, and fabric cutting. We also teamed up with Alu Studios, Finn Van Tol, and Dylan Eno, who digitized two historical garments from our collection, enabling us to present them as animated reconstructions on a virtual male body—an approach that remains relatively rare in fashion exhibition-making. Lastly, we worked with olfactory artist Peter De Cupere, who developed two custom scents for the exhibition. These were based on original 18th-century recipes researched and selected by our conservator, Pauline Devriese, thereby further deepening the multi-sensory engagement with the period.

EFHA: In what ways did the exhibition seek to “reactivate” Rococo aesthetics rather than simply present them as historical references?

Pauline Devriese: The best way to answer this question is to explain why we wanted to do this. As a historical reference, the Rococo period has functioned to sell a fantastical candy world of fashion through the media. Think of Bridgerton (2020-), Marie Antoinette (2006), or Harlots (2017-2019), which have these stunning costumes with historical references that are all over the place, borrowing and merging style elements from the 80-year period this exhibition covers. As a museum, we welcome and encourage freedom of artistic interpretation. But this also means that the actual fashion of the 18th and early 19th centuries becomes clouded.
Rococo is often used to refer to the fashion style of Marie Antoinette and her marchande de mode Rose Bertin, who influenced fashion at Versailles from the 1770s onward. But the visual art style Rococo, the Baroque’s frivolous, floral, and asymmetrical sister, flourished from 1730 to 1760. So what is this candy-colored, glossy version of Rococo fashion that we see on the screen?
We had to update (or, “reboot”) the fashion image of 1750-1830, away from the media’s interpretation of Rococo, before we could actually use it as a historical reference. We studied the social ritual of getting dressed, the hygienic functions of garments, and the stylistic evolutions during our timeframe, trying to humanize this period of time. The exhibition guides you through a more realistic, down-to-earth version of 1750-1830’s fashion.

EFHA: What research strategies did you adopt to trace and select contemporary expressions that meaningfully dialogue with the Rococo spirit?

PD: Through object-based research on the pieces selected for Rococo Reboot! we were able to find specific reference points that keep returning in contemporary fashion. This could be as simple as the buckles on a pair of 18th-century shoes being rebooted in the designs of Manolo Blahnik, or the floral patterns crocheted into an Empire dress, comparable to those in Meryll Rogge’s La Mariée from her spring-summer 2025 collection. The volume of an 18th-century dress was mirrored in a silhouette by Molly Goddard, and the classic tailoring of menswear found its way back to Raf Simons. A stunning Empire-waist gown by John Galliano for Givenchy paired perfectly with our early 19^th century pieces to help tell the story of the love of gardens and parks during this period. This last example guided us to contemporary expressions of fashion from 1750-1830 that went deeper than the shape of a silhouette or decorations. They touched upon the social, cultural, and economic sides of fashion. For example, the role of garments in the maintenance of hygiene was extensively researched via secondary literature and 18^th-century household books which spread recipes to wash and scent undergarments to keep the body clean. These undergarments are still referenced, both in shape, color, and meaning. An example on display in the exhibition is the Chemise dress by Elena Velez (Y003 collection) which follows the shape of undershirts worn by women, and was crafted from durable materials designed for intensive use—reminiscent of 18th- and early 19th-century undergarments, which had to withstand constant use and frequent washing. It was customary to change your undershirt every day, regardless of your economic status. White still has the same meaning as the color of these historical undergarments, alluding to purity and cleanliness. In France, to have a clean white undershirt was to have a clean body.

EFHA: Can you share examples of contemporary designers or artists whose work you felt offered particularly insightful or unexpected interpretations of Rococo ideals?

ED: Although the exhibition primarily focuses on rebooting the classical, historical narrative, it also features a number of contemporary creations. The Rococo period continues to capture the imagination of many designers and serves as a rich source of inspiration for catwalk collections. Think about, for example, Vivienne Westwood, who frequently references 18th-century art and silhouettes in her work, or Simone Rocha, whose designs often incorporate pearls and shell motifs—even in her collaboration with Crocs—and who explores the structure of 18th-century panniers in various collections. The influence of Rococo aesthetics is not always overt. Elena Velez, for instance, draws inspiration from undergarments and Empire-style dresses, reinterpreting these historical forms through a raw, deconstructed lens. One of the exhibition’s central pieces is a bridal gown by Belgian designer Meryll Rogge. Her work blends historical reference with subversive femininity, often challenging the codes of traditional elegance. The featured gown evokes the ceremonial grandeur of 18th-century fashion while subtly undermining its constraints through unexpected materials, bold proportions, or contemporary styling. In doing so, Rogge not only pays homage to the past but reclaims it, offering a modern perspective on rituals of dress and identity.

EFHA: What role do digital technologies or new media play in Rococo Reboot, both in the presentation of the works and in enhancing the visitor’s experience?

PD: During the initial preparations for Rococo Reboot! we were worried there wouldn’t be enough pieces to display, as our collection of 18^th and early 19^th century dress is limited. Via contacts at Modemuze we were introduced to Alu Studios by Dylan Eno and Finn van Tol, who had ideas to add digital pieces of fashion to the objects on display. This was the start of the video installation Gardens I Must Flee From You which illustrates the transition in fashion from rococo to neoclassicism in the late 18th century, a transition from emotion to reason. They studied the change from the French ornamental style to a more subdued English fashion and illustrated this via two 3D-scanned garments from the collection of the Fashion Museum Hasselt. These digital reconstructions not only ensure the preservation of fragile pieces, but also create new opportunities to tell historical stories. Thousands of photographs were taken to capture the collection pieces down to the wire to create their exact digital counterparts. These 3D models were then placed into digital renders of French and English gardens, an outdoor place where our physical garments will never be again.
Thanks to these digital reconstructions, we get the chance to see the garments in motion for the first time since the 18^thcentury. By representing fashion digitally, preservation becomes more than just protection-it becomes a way to let the past speak again.

EFHA: Were there any unexpected challenges, discoveries, or shifts in perspective during the curatorial process that significantly shaped the final outcome of Rococo Reboot?

PD: Finding the fashion collection of the city museum of Ghent (STAM) was definitely a turning point. After we were in contact with the collection team and inspected the pieces we selected we knew that we would have enough silhouettes to put on display. The pieces we chose truly enhance and add to the story of Rococo Reboot!. The menswear collection was expanded, we were able to show a chintz-dress; a representation of fashion from The Netherlands, a pair of stays, and several accessories we were missing in our collection such as an 18^th-century muff.

An important discovery about our own collection was getting in contact with Vladimir Ivaneanu, the son of Andreï Ivaneanu, a Romanian-Belgian costume designer whose pieces form the foundation of the Modemuseum Hasselt. The Ivaneanu collection was bought in 1986 and it was presumed they were used as theatre costumes, which means they would have been altered. However, after speaking to Vladimir Ivaneanu we discovered that the pieces were used as a blueprint in an effort to make historically accurate costumes for actors. This meant that the pieces from the Ivaneanu collection have remained largely unaltered, which is incredibly unique for historical clothing. As a tribute to Ivaneanu’s efforts to preserve these pieces in their original form, we dedicated a room in the exhibition to tell the story of historical clothing and their lifespan by putting the Ivaneanu pieces together with highly altered pieces from our collection.