Art Matters is the podcast that brings together pop culture and art history, hosted by Ferren Gipson.

Download and subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher or TuneIn

Have you ever thought much about the politics of fashion? How can paintings help us understand the social context of fashion throughout history? Is the woman in the famous Arnolfini portrait pregnant or does her dress make it appear that way? This week we chat with Amber Butchart, fashion historian and host of BBC’s ‘Stitch in Time’ series, about the hidden meanings we can glean from the fashions in paintings.

This episode's guest

Amber Butchart is a fashion historian exploring the intersections between dress, politics and culture. She began her career as the Head Buyer for Beyond Retro, where she also helped establish their print and design archive. Amber went on to presented the six-part BBC series ‘A Stitch in Time’ wherein she explored the stories of figures in paintings via the clothing they wore. She’s also written four books on fashion for the British Library, Thames & Hudson, and the Octopus Publishing Group on nautical fashion, fashion in film, and fashion illustration.

Amber’s website

Amber’s Twitter

Amber’s Instagram

Explore more

From Boucher to bodices: finding art in fashion

Art Matters podcast: what to know for the Met Gala 2018 theme of 'Heavenly Bodies'

Art Matters podcast: hair trends throughout art history

Why are artists infatuated with red hair?

Listen to our other Art Matters podcast episodes