Second Skin: The Science of Stretch

On view from November 4, 2016, to May 13, 2017.

Stretch fabrics provide a second skin that can shift our perception of our bodies, enhance our athletic performance, even improve our health. Second Skin: The Science of Stretch featured garments and textile-based medical devices created over the last century. From 1920s corsets and girdles to today’s lymphedema sleeves with a fashionable flair, these second skins changed how we move through the world.

 

Generous support for Second Skin: The Science of Stretch was provided by the Alafi Family Foundation. Image courtesy of LympheDIVAs.

 

 

 
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Visitors enjoy a first look at Second Skin: The Science of Stretch during the opening celebration.
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Experiment with floor-length samples of microknit, spandex-blend fabric.
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From vintage nylon stockings to an aortic stent, many of the seamless tube-shaped knitted textiles on display were manufactured on circular knitting machines like this one.
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The colorful yarn for artist Andrew Dahlgren’s Stretch Machine, seen in the background, was processed locally in Port Richmond.
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Ever wonder what stretchy fabrics look like close up? Check out a microscopic view of nylon spandex−blend cycling shorts.
 
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Visitors enjoy a first look at Second Skin: The Science of Stretch during the opening celebration.
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