Dress & Drinks: Honolulu Museum of Art | Conversations on Dress | Costume Society of America

Dress & Drinks: The Textiles Collection of the Honolulu Museum of Art | Conversations on Dress | Costume Society of America Join us as we speak to E. Tory Laitila, Curator of Textiles and Historic Arts of Hawai‘i in the Textiles Collection of the Honolulu Museum of Art in Honolulu. Prior to this position, Tory worked as the registrar with the Honolulu Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts and Assistant Curator at the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives. Before starting his career, Tory studied art history with a focus on historic costume, gaining his bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. His interest in historic and vintage costume began long before his university days. Inspired by his love of vintage, Tory also learned to sew. With this skill, he created vintage-inspired pieces in the face of limited garment choices in his size. Once he entered college, Tory discovered the study of historic dress. After leaving college and entering the workforce, he eventually made his way to his current position. While there is a limitation of jobs pertinent to costume and clothing on O’ahu, Tory was drawn to the role of Curator of Textiles and Historic Arts of Hawai‘i. A previously established knowledge of those who once held his position and the collection solidified the Honolulu Museum of Art as a perfect fit for his professional progression. In addition to his love of textiles and costumes, Tory is also an avid lover of vexillology—the study of