Rijksmuseum presents WORN: treasured clothing
Publication date: 03 March 2026 - 13:43
WORN at the Rijksmuseum is an intimate display of fashion garments that have been worn, altered and reused – with a focus on wear, repair and craftsmanship. On view are 24 garments and accessories dating from 1640 to 1930. All of them have been cherished for centuries, from the 17th-century mules with richly embroidered patterns to an 18th-century dress worn by multiple generations of the Six family. WORN at the Rijksmuseum runs from 27 March 2026 to 21 March 2027.
WORN reveals that wearing vintage and second-hand garments has a long history – whether because of craftsmanship, economic considerations or their emotional value.
Vanessa Jones, costume and fashion curator
Cherished and re-worn
WORN presents garments and accessories from the collection of the Rijksmuseum that were repeatedly re-worn and adapted. The display invites visitors to truly look – up close, slowly and with careful attention. Take time to discover the repairs, the crisscross patterns of darned stitching, the slight signs of wear on the fabric, and even traces of sweat. Every detail tells how these pieces were cherished, worn and carefully preserved for generations.
A 19th-century blue taffeta dress with a woven pattern shows how garments were altered multiple times. The dress consists of a skirt with several bodices that were swapped depending on the occasion. One of the bodices was taken apart and reassembled several times, to ensure the dress lasted even longer.
Another garment that gained a second life is the citrine-yellow floral dress owned by the Six family: beneath the 18th-century exterior lies a 19th-century interior structure. Members of later generations wore the dress in 1896 and again as late as 1925, after the interior was modified with a modern corset with steel boning.
Special Collections
Every 12 months, the Rijksmuseum presents a new display in the Special Collections galleries of objects from its large and varied costume collection. The display design for WORN is by the French architectural firm Wilmotte & Associés.
