VICTORIA BC— Step into a fascinating world of colour and discover how India’s vibrant cottons inspired global fashion trends, transforming everything from t-shirts to floral prints in Global Threads: The Art and Fashion of Indian Chintz, on now at the Royal BC Museum.
“This is a visually captivating and exceptionally curated exhibition on loan from the Royal Ontario Museum.” says Tracey Drake, CEO of the Royal BC Museum. “Featuring 80 objects spanning 10 centuries and 4 continents, it is impressive to see the reach of Indian cotton across the globe over the centuries. We are proud to provide this opportunity for museum visitors to see these beautiful designs and expressive colours here in BC and to learn about their enduring impact on fashion, economy and culture on a global scale.”
“Today we all take our cotton t-shirts and jeans for granted, but until quite recently in human history, colourful cottons were a luxury,” says Dr. Sarah Fee, Senior Curator of Global Fashion and Textiles at the Royal Ontario Museum. “For millennia, India alone controlled the knowledge and skills to create vibrant colour on cotton. All the world went to its shores seeking its cottons.”
With vivid textiles and designs, the exhibition presents a historical, cultural and economic framework for Indian chintz from 13th century archaeological fragments to contemporary audio-visual content from today’s most prolific clothmakers. Also exploring global consumer desire for textile, it uncovers their complicated history of labour and consumption and shows how these cottons played a part in igniting industry.
“We can love these Indian cottons for their beauty,” says Fee, “but they also encourage us to consider the cost of our current fashion consumption habits.”
Located on the 3rd floor of the Royal BC Museum, see a range of artifacts from intricately painted cotton jackets and wall hangings from the 1700s to innovative works from contemporary Indian artists still working with natural dye, showcasing a comprehensive history of Indian chintz.
Global Threads: The Art and Fashion of Indian Chintz is on display until September 28, 2025, and is produced and circulated by the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada.
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About the Royal BC Museum: The Royal BC Museum, which includes BC Archives, IMAX® Victoria and PARC Campus, is one of the oldest continually operating museums in Canada. A centre of learning and research, it strives to broaden our understanding of British Columbia through collections, exhibitions, outreach and community engagement. The museum celebrates the province’s diverse landscapes and the lives of the people who live here, enables research and knowledge sharing that advances our understanding of our world, and provides a dynamic place for discussion and reflection. IMAX® Victoria delivers educational and entertaining experiences that accompany the learning journey the museum offers.
The Royal BC Museum is located on the traditional territories of the Lekwungen peoples, known today as the Songhees and Xʷsepsəm (Esquimalt) Nations. We acknowledge and respect the history of Indigenous peoples, who are our partners in museum matters and community alike.
About ROM: Opened in 1914, ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) showcases art, culture, and nature from around the world and across the ages. Today, ROM houses more than 18 million objects, from Egyptian mummies to contemporary sculpture, from meteorites to dinosaurs. ROM is the most visited museum in Canada and one of the top ten museums in North America. It is also the country’s preeminent field research institute, with a diverse range of experts who help us understand the past, make sense of the present, and shape a shared future. Just as impressive is ROM’s facility – a striking combination of heritage architecture and cutting-edge design, which marks the Museum as an iconic landmark and global cultural destination.
