The Anne Boleyn Collection

The speaker for the evening of  the 35th Anniversary of Lytham St Annes Branch of the Embroiderers Guild, was a very nice lady called Val Hughes who brought in the dresses she made for her Anne Boleyn Collection. 
After filling us in on her background getting a First Class Pass in Art and Design and how she came to work in Textiles, Val gave us an insight into her inspiration for her collection.
When visiting significant historic buildings such as Hever Castle on the Surrey, Sussex, Kent border and Hampton Court Palace in London, Val was most interested not in the houses themselves but the people who lived there. For her the figure that most stood out was Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII.
The 10 outfits in black, red and gold where inspired by various events in Anne's life leading up to her climbing the scaffold to her death.
With names such as Desire, Possession, Intrigue, Rejection, Desecration, Immorality, Incarceration, Iniquity, Masquerade and Charade; these dresses have a powerful impact and a strong message about the feelings and emotions that Anne Boleyn must have felt during her time at the Royal Court, her marriage to the King and her trial and arrest for crime that she most likely did not commit.
How did Anne feel during her time in the Tower wondering and waiting for the man she loved to come and visit her or send  the Pardon - which never came - to set her free?

What emotions and feelings does this dress, below, stir in you?
The tubes on the skirt are stuffed with wadding to give a 3D effect that  may signify all the intrigue and games, betrayals at the court. Like being in a snake pit full of vipers out to bite you and send you to your death.

Here is a close up of the bodice - the red could signify fire as Anne was accused of being a witch. If unlucky enough to be tried and found to be a witch you would be burned alive.

Below, a close up of the wonderful tubular skirt. What name does this dress conjour up for you? Intrigue or Incarceration or Desecration perhaps?

Now this dress, below, had the most effect on me. You can feel the hurt and pain where the fabric has been ripped and shredded. 

The bodice is boned to give it structure and there are openings in the stomach and skirt area that remind you of the miscarriage that Anne Boleyn suffered and how she was blamed for losing a male heir to Henry. Is this the dress called Rejection? What do you think?

The flash has captured some of the details and made them look even more gruesome and heart wrenching. See the opening in the heart area, below.

You may notice that there is quite a lot of free machining on this dress also.

The Tudor period is for many a fascinating time in history and one that we are most thankful not to have lived in. Despite the opulence and extravagance of the Court of Henry VIII there was much plotting and manipulation by people seeking to gain power and riches and the price of being on the wrong side was heavy.

Val has created another collection inspired by Anne Boleyn, in white, that is called the Haunting Collection and one about Elizabeth Woodville, aka The White Queen and grandmother to Henry VIII.  Other works include Alice in Wonderland and Cave Art. If you would like to see this or another collection for yourself, get in touch with Val via her website here.

Many thanks to Val Hughes for bringing her inspiring dresses for us to view. We enjoyed hearing another side to the life of the famous woman and Queen that was Anne Boleyn.