Sequins Through the Ages

We have some really great sequins at Bumbershoot Supplies, like these vintage French metal sequins shown above, see also the last photo. I’ve been looking into the history of sequins, and recently found an interesting blog post on the topic.

Threaded, a historical fashion blog by the Smithsonian, provides an overview of the history of sequins from King Tut’s tomb (where gold discs were found sewn onto garments) to Leonardo da Vinci’s sequin punching machine, to the gelatin sequins of the 1930s (you can see some above and below, found at BumbershootSupplies) to today’s vast array of contemporary sequins.

I was fascinated to learn that gelatin sequins were introduced as a less expensive alternative to metal sequins, but were abandoned because they were not robust. They collapse into a rubbery blob in water (yes, I have tested this), and a dancing partner's hand on your back could melt them.

Check out the Threaded sequin post here for more tidbits of sequin history. For contemporary sequin inspiration (and a bit of glitter too), I invite you to visit our Pinterest board, All That Glitters.  So many sequins, so little time…