A fashionable family

From Bess of hardwick and 18th-century ‘empress of Fashion’ Georgiana, duchess of devonshire, to the late dowager duchess, ‘Kick’ Kennedy and model stella Tennant (above), ren- owned style icons of the Cavendish family will be celebrated next year in Chatsworth’s most ambitious exhibition to date—‘house style: Five Centuries of Fashion at Chatsworth’ (March 25 to october 22, 2017).

The curator, American Vogue’s international editor-at-large hamish Bowles, is thrilled to have been ‘let loose in the wardrobe rooms, the gold vaults, the muniment room and the closets, cupboards, and attics of Chatsworth’.

There will be exceptional pieces on show from the likes of Christian dior, Gucci, Alexander Mcqueen and Vivienne Westwood. Livery, uniforms, Coronation robes and fancy-dress costumes will illustrate the variety of adornment from the collection and important artworks will include inigo Jones’s 1660s costume designs. There’ll also be a footage-portrait of Adele Astaire (Fred’s sister), made from the only film of her in existence, which was discovered at Chatsworth last year.

‘Clothes and personal objects (especially jewels) bring ghosts and visions of remarkable characters to the surface of the place,’ says creative director Patrick Kinmonth. ‘We hope to conjure the presence of these remarkable men and women who have animated, loved and created this unique ensemble of great art, furniture and personal style in its many layers.’

An accompanying book will be published by rizzoli, with a foreword by the duke of devonshire, an introduction by the Countess of Burlington, edited by Mr Bowles and featuring photographs by Mario Testino, Cecil Beaton and others, with many previously unseen pictures from the devonshire personal photograph albums. For further information and to book tickets, visit www.chatsworth.org