Penn Valley fashion instructor to participate in Princess Diana exhibit at Union Station

Penn Valley Apparel and Textiles Instructor Sheryl Farnan (left) shares techniques with student.

With the Royal Wedding still in the air, memories linger about the legacy of Princess Diana. Sheryl Farnan, MCC-Penn Valley Apparel and Textiles program coordinator, will be participating in the DIANA exhibit at Union Station.

On May 24, Farnan will speak on weddings and wedding apparel of the 20th century with specific focus on a gown featured in the exhibit designed in 1933 by American Couturier Hattie Carnegie.

The lecture, part of the Kansas City Museum Community Curator Series, will begin at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Farnan also serves as curator of the Rebecca Maud Owens Historic Costume Collection House at Penn Valley. The collection is named in honor of Becky Owens, long tenured faculty member and head of the fashion program for many years. Owens collected hundreds of pieces from the late 19th and early 20th centuries as teaching tools to show how a Midwestern man, woman or child would have interpreted the prevailing styles of the day. Many pieces are from local Kansas City department stores and manufacturers. It was her personal collection which she donated to Penn Valley upon her retirement. The collection is used for teaching students about modern costume history and design.