Featuring over 80 objects spanning four continents from the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, Canada) and rarely-seen private collections, Global Threads explores over 1,000 years of textile mastery. From palace-size palampores to 13th-century archaeological fragments and contemporary couture, the exhibition brings together art, science, and storytelling through India’s globally influential cloth. For centuries, Indian artisans perfected cotton weaving and natural dyeing techniques unmatched in brilliance and complexity. These richly colored fabrics reached markets across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas—transforming fashion in London, inspiring toiles in France, and influencing batiks in Indonesia. Their global popularity helped spark the Industrial Revolution, while also revealing the impacts of colonialism, labor exploitation, and environmental change. Organized thematically, the exhibition traces chintz from its origins in India’s internal markets to its massive global export, cultural influence, and contemporary revival. Visitors will journey through three immersive sections:
• The Indian Internal Market – Exploring chintz’s deep roots in Indian history and how the artform is still produced today.
• Made in India for the World – Unpacking India’s role as the world’s textile powerhouse and exporter.
• The Cloth that Changed the World – Showing how chintz and colonial interest in the medium transformed global design and production for better and for worse.
Global Threads is more than an exhibition—it’s a visual feast and a global story of innovation, influence, and reinvention. Engaging multimedia and interviews with contemporary textile masters provide deeper insight into both ancient techniques and modern sustainability challenges.
Global Threads: India’s Textile Revolution will be on view at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana from December 13, 2025, through April 5, 2026. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Sarah Fee, Curator of Eastern Hemisphere Textiles & Fashion at the Royal Ontario Museum and Associate Professor in the Department of Art History at the University of Toronto. A leading scholar of global textile histories, Dr. Fee has spent decades researching cotton textile traditions across Africa, South Asia, and the Indian Ocean world. Her expertise brings depth and global context to this dynamic exhibition, connecting ancient artistry with modern relevance.
Read more about about this upcoming exhibition on the Bowers Museum website.