THE HAGUE, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition featuring original costumes from the 1997 film Titanic opened at the Kunstmuseum Den Haag on Saturday, linking the social tensions of 1912, the year the Titanic sank, with contemporary issues such as war and migration.
Titled "Titanic & Fashion: The Last Dance," the exhibition will run until Jan. 25, 2026. It presents 15 original costumes designed by Deborah Lynn Scott, who won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for her work on the blockbuster film Titanic.
The show also brings together rare clothing from the 1910s in the museum's collection and modern creations by 25 contemporary designers, including Dutch innovator Iris van Herpen, drawing parallels between past and present.
"We wanted to have a link that people would recognize from the 1910s. And what would be better than Titanic, the movie based on the real disaster of 1912 that everybody knows?" curator Madelief Hohe told Xinhua.
Hohe said the exhibition mixes authentic early 20th-century garments, film costumes and contemporary works to encourage dialogue across eras. "There are many links between past and present, and not all of them are nice. We feel there's a war around the corner, people against each other. The sharpness in today's world was also there in the 1910s," she said.
A highlight is the iconic "Flying Dress," the deep-blue gown worn by Kate Winslet in the film's famous bow scene with Leonardo DiCaprio. While the dress was created for the film, its accessory comes from the 1910s, blending fact and fiction.
The exhibition also includes personal items from the real Titanic, such as cups, telegrams and postcards. "There's something for everyone - fashion enthusiasts, film fans and historians alike," Hohe said. ■