A Museum for Male Fashion

Musée de la Chemiserie et de la elegance Masculine.

September 18 and 19 was the Journee du Patrimonie. This means that during these two days most museums and touristic places in the area were open to the public free of charge. To take advantage of the incentive to appreciate our local touristic spots I took my little ones to the Musée de la Chemiserie et de la elegance Masculine.

The Musée de la Chemiserie et de la elegance Masculine is a museum dedicated to the shirt and male fashion. We had been there many times but, little as it is, we always find something new in this museum. Located in the Indre department, in the town of Argenton Sur Creuse, the shirt museum rends homage at an industry that lead the lives of the locals during the 1900s.

The idea of having a museum dedicated to the shirt and male elegance was born at the start of the 1980s, thanks to an incentive started by the ministry of culture. At the time, Jean René Gravereaux ex industrial in the fashion world and his wife had the idea to create a museum dedicated to the shirt and textile industry as it represented a professional activity created and exploited heavily in the area. This is how they created an association and looked for the input from ancient workers and anyone who had to do with the clothes industry in the area.

Lately, thanks to local subventions the Musée de la Chemiserie et de la elegance Masculine has been able to improve its collection, buying more items.

The museum opened on 1993 to the public.

Nowadays, as a result, the Musée de la Chemiserie has a rich collection of more than 12000 pieces between textile (clothes) technical equipment (sewing machines and other pieces) posters and documents.

There are permanent collections in the museum as well as temporary collections.  The general theme of the museum develops around the origins of the shirt, its evolution through the centuries, and male fashion.

On the second floor there is a workshop where you can discover the different stages of making a shirt.  But perhaps the most interesting part of this workshop is the fact that you can discover here the women who worked in the industry.  Through photos and video testimonies you can meet the women who made history here.  True enough you can meet some of these women in the streets of Argenton, it makes it very special to have a glimpse not only in the work these women did, but also in their lives, their expectations and their dreams. 

Children are also at ease at this museum as they can wonder around freely and interact with many parts of the exhibitions.  For example, there is an interactive area where children can learn about materials, they can touch different clothing materials and learn how the material is made from scratch. 

The Musée de la Chemiserie is more than a museum. It is a place where ex workers in the clothing industry found a place to exhibit their collections, share their experiences and share the importance that this industry had in the local economy and the lives of the people in the area.

In 1885 only in the region of Argenton Sur Creuse there were 9 textile factories employing 1259 women, without counting all those who worked from home. 

In 1930, 150 establishments were officially registered in the Syndicat des Confectionneurs (an association of clothe makers).

In 1968,  66 factories were making shirts in the Indre department, 16 of them were based in Argenton sur Creuse and Saint Marcel.

In 2006, there was only one shirt making factory left in the area.   

Yearly exhibits

Although the Musee de la chemiserie is relatively small, you can visit at least twice a year when the yearly exhibits get changed.

This year one of the exhibits –starting in February 2010- is about Sewing Machines. 

Sewing Machines: Yearly Exhibit.

Invented by Barthelemy Thimmonier in 1830 and improved by Singer in the United States and Vigneron in France; the sewing machine changed the history of fashion from 1850.

Creative workshops

Creative workshops once a month for children aged 6 to 12 years old

2,50€ the session.

You would need to book in advance.  There are two groups one starting at 2pm and the other one at 4pm.

My little ones love going there for the monthly activity, they always come home very happy with hand made cards, embroidery, button dolls and many other crafts that they enjoy making.  One of the crafts my little Princess enjoyed the most, and she keeps doing, was painting with rose petals on cloth.

Birthdays

Forget celebrating your little one’s birthday in Mc Donalds.  What about going for a more interesting option –and cheaper- at the Musee de la Chemiserie? Open for children 6 years old and upwards it is the perfect birthday present for a little girl and up to 9 guests.  The birthday package comprises a craft activity, birthday cake and refreshments for 10 children for the very affordable price of 35€

Address : rue Charles Brillaud, 36200 Argenton-sur-Creuse

Opening Times: Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 to 12 at from 2pm to 6pm.

Annual closing on January and February. 

Prices: 4€ for adults and 2€ for children under 16.  Free for children under 6 yeas old.

Email : musee-chemiserie@wanadoo.fr

Telephone : 02 54 24 34 69

Web site : chemiserie.cc-argenton.fr

Free visits: The Museum is free to visit every first Sunday of the month.

The Museum also takes part  in the Journee du Patrimonie which means that twice a year it open its doors free of charge to the general public during the weekend.

By car

By train, directly to the Argenton Sur Creuse train Station.