We are looking for a post-graduate or postdoctoral level research assistant, with specialism in dress history, to assist us full time for two months in building our database, in August and September 2018. The work will consist of working with our transcriptions and other data, and will focus especially on working with Italian-English dress and textile terminology and glossary relating to the data.  

The research assistant will work within the ERC funded research project Refashioning the Renaissance: Popular Groups, Fashion and the Material and Cultural Significance of Clothing in Europe, 1550-1650, led by Paula Hohti. This project studies the meanings and dissemination of western fashion in early modern Europe, especially at the lower social levels, and develops new material-based experimental and scientific research methods in dress history.

The work can be carried out either remotely from any country, or at Aalto University in Finland. We will pay a monthly salary according to the Aalto University salary system, based on the level and qualifications and experience (c. 2.300–4.000 euros/month before taxes, depending on qualifications and experience).

The requirements are:

• excellent knowledge of early modern dress and textile terminology, both in English and Italian  
• background in early modern material culture studies, or related field
• basic knowledge of using Microsoft Excel

If you are interested in applying for the position, please send an email to Paula Hohti at paula.hohti@aalto.fi, with a short description of your background and a short CV.

Paula and Jane at work.

Last week we had the opportunity to present Refashioning the Renaissance project to YLE, Finnish broadcasting agency. We hosted the film crew at Aalto University, where Paula was interviewed for the TV news and web article, and Jane and Paula organised a mini-workshop on knitted caps. They showed how 16th century knitted caps were made, and processed to resemble velvet hats. The process includes fulling the caps by treading them in a soap water or beating them with wooden mallets, after which the nap is raised with tinsels.

Paula being interviewed.

After thew workshop Paula sat down with journalist Jonni Aromaa to chat about our project. She discussed renaissance dress, growing desire for new products and fashions, and our aims to develop new methods and experimental practices for research.

We are thrilled that YLE is interested in our project, and did – not one – but two thoughtful and well-made news stories about it. Unfortunately for international audience both the TV clip and web article are in Finnish, but at least you can all enjoy seeing Paula and Jane fulling.

Article published (in Finnish) at the YLE website.

To see what other media outlets have written about our project, have a look at the Media page.

Dinner with our advisory board.

On 18 December 2017, Refashioning the Renaissance Principal Investigator Paula Hohti and Project Administrator Piia Lempiäinen met the Advisory Board for the first time in London. After spending the autumn setting up practices, recruiting team members, and further developing theoretical framework of the project, end of the year was an excellent opportunity to present the project to the Advisory Board and hear their feedback for the project implementation and direction. Professor Evelyn Welch kindly hosted the meeting at King’s College London, with Professor Maria Hayward, Dr Susan North, Professor Ulinka Rublack, and Dr Tessa Storey present. Advisory Board members brought new insight, raised poignant questions, and shared their knowledge throughout the meeting. This inspiring exchange of ideas and concrete advice helped to strengthen our project structure and goals.

“Our Advisory Board, individually and as a group, has an amazing expertise across areas of early modern material culture and fashion, and we feel very privileged and lucky to be able work with them for the next couple of years.”
-Paula Hohti

After a fruitful meeting the Advisory Board continued discussions on Early Modern dress and fashion over dinner. “How blissful it is to sit together enjoying excellent food, and talk about how to sew ostrich feathers together”, Evelyn Welch sighed and voiced everyone’s thoughts.