Exhibition at the Kamienica Szołayskich, a branch of the National Museum in Kraków, devoted to Moda Polska, one of the most important phenomena in the history of Polish fashion design. The display covers more than two decades of the brand’s activity, from the late 1960s to the 1990s, and shows how silhouettes, aesthetics and design inspirations changed over time. Visitors can also see the conditions in which Polish designers worked.
The exhibition presents the work of three designers associated with the brand: Kalina Paroll, Magda Ignar and Jerzy Antkowiak.
- Kalina Paroll combined modern forms with elements drawn from the past. One of the oldest dresses on display, from the late 1960s, pairs a simple cut with embroidery dating from the interwar period.
- Magda Ignar often blended classic elegance with bold solutions. One of her black velvet dresses relies on a play of transparency and contrast.
- Jerzy Antkowiak is one of the most recognisable figures in Moda Polska. Alongside classic evening wear, the exhibition includes avant-garde designs inspired by the theatre, including elegant outfits with short trousers. Also shown are warm, voluminous skirts from the designer’s anniversary collection.
The exhibition traces the brand’s collaboration with silk workshops in Milanówek, where hand-decorated fabrics were produced according to patterns developed jointly with artists who painted on silk. Visitors will see dresses with motifs referencing the work of Stanisław Wyspiański and Józef Mehoffer, compositions inspired by nature, and designs drawing on folk traditions, including an ensemble inspired by Romani culture, made from hand-dyed silk.
The exhibition also highlights the constraints designers faced during the economic crisis of the 1980s, when shortages of materials forced creativity. To conclude, a coat bearing the Moda Polska label is on display, which in the days of the PRL (People’s Republic of Poland) was a sign of high quality and good taste.