Calash

Augusta Reimer

1895–1905 · silk, fur, metal, wood · Costume Institute

A mix of tradition and fashion make this calash particularly striking. Augusta Reimer, best known for her fashion illustrations of the early 20th century combined the heavily embroidered caul of her native Denmark's traditional hats with the calash, a dramatic bonnet popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. The calash was developed to accommodate the large hairstyles of the 1770s and 1780s. Reimer's revival of the oversized style was timely as the full Gibson Girl style prevailed.

Artist

Augusta Reimer

Date

1895–1905

Medium

silk, fur, metal, wood

Culture

Danish

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Brooklyn Museum Collection