Parodi Costume Collection

For the past year, PCC has embarked on the challenge of digitizing its complete collection. This long process ensures accountability of objects, immediacy of information, and allows our team a one-on-one with each object in our collection. The creation of a digital Catalogue Raisonne  is essential to the process of archiving, facilitating future direction, research, programming and conservation. 
 
The inventory process is made up of multiple steps that ensure the best care and conservation practices for the objects, while structuring a robust database that facilitates ongoing research and future narratives. 
 
Digitization begins with high definition photography of each object, allocation of an accession number, a formal written description, and any information on producer and provenance. Every piece at PCC is delicately handled, with minimal manipulation, and photographed flat in order to preserve condition. A large scale professional photography lab was developed for this ongoing project, including lighting equipment, camera tethering, and neutral backdrops for every garment, accessory, fabric, and document. This digital photography Lab has  two working stations- one dedicated solely to garments and another for accessories and smaller objects. As the images are captured, the PCC conservation team conducts an overall condition report, noting any need  for conservation or restoration. Every single notation is uploaded to the catalogue database.
 
All research and object details go into an extensive spreadsheet whose data is imported into a professional Museum Collections Management System. This system is the brain where all information and research on each object is gathered, facilitating and expediting our search by designer, era, year, material, color, and many more data fields.
 
Once digitization completed, the process continues. Every garment, accessory or artifact gets packed away in acid free museum conservation materials, and placed in its allocated storage unit/space at the museum. Due to the unpredictable climate  and humidity conditions in South Florida, correct packing and storing of historical objects is vital to their continued stability.