Pochettes en Fête

Pochettes en Fête celebrates the elegance, glamour and enduring allure of the vintage handbag. Bringing together a selection of beautifully crafted pochettes, clutches and evening bags alongside contemporary artworks, the exhibition explores fashion accessories not simply as objects of style, but as carriers of memory, identity and cultural history. From intricate beadwork and luxurious textiles to sculptural forms and exquisite detailing, these vintage and contemporary pieces speak to changing fashions, social rituals and the artistry of adornment across decades.

Presented as a special fundraising exhibition in support of New England Regional Art Museum, Pochettes en Fête invites visitors to experience a playful and sophisticated dialogue between fashion, art and collecting. The vintage handbag collection of Jane Vallance White, generously donated by her daughter Janet White to raise funds for the gallery, forms the heart of the exhibition.

A silent auction for a beautiful selection of the handbags is currently running online and will end at 7:30pm July 25th at the NERAM Nights: Speakeasy & Auction. From 8pm, we’ll be hosting a live auction for a small selection of particularly rare, exquisite bags.

To view the online silent auction, click here.

Image credit: European, embroidered purse, c.1910-20