SAINT LOUIS, MO.- In the game of chess, the queen is considered the most powerful, and often, the most unpredictable piece. The queen, both in chess and as an archetype, embodies tradition yet possesses the creative freedom to redefine the rules established by a patriarchal system. The World Chess Hall of Fame presents A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, Fashion and Chess, an exhibition that uses photography, video, sculpture, storytelling, and some of the rarest garments in the world to explore the queen and her influence.

Evolving from the weakest to the strongest piece, the queen wields exceptional power in chess. It is thought that this privileging of the queen on the board is an indication of her increasingly powerful status in medieval and early modern European society. In A Queen Within, nine Jungian archetypes or "personalities" of the queen are used to examine the relationships between power, risk-taking, as well as feminine roles in society.

Produced by an international team of thought-leaders, curators, fashion insiders, and chess players, the exhibition focuses on how storytelling as well as the various archetypes of the queen have captured the imagination of innovative fashion designers. The exhibition is on view from October 19, 2013 – April 18, 2014.

“There is something fascinating about the game of chess and the queen’s role within it. She breaks the rules. She does what she wants on the board. When we began to research how this kind of thinking has an influence on fashion, we knew that there was an important story to tell,” said Sofia Hedman, the exhibition's London-based curator.

Objects From the Following Designers Will be Exhibited: Alexander McQueen, Anrealage, Chan Luu, Charlie Le Mindu, Gianfranco Ferre, Gucci, Hideki Seo, Henrik Vibskov, Hussein Chalayan, Iris Schieferstein, Iris Van Herpen, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jordan Askill, Josefin Arnell, Keta Gutmane, Koji Arai, Maiko Takeda, Maison Martin Margiela, Minju Kim, Noritaka Tatehana, Octavia Xiaozi Yang, Pam Hogg, Rein Vollenga, Rejina Pyo, Ryohei Kawanishi, Sandra Backlund, Serena Gili, Shaun Leane and and Daphne Guinness, Tabitha Osler, Viktor & Rolf, and Writtenafterwards.

Selected works from photographer Anne Deniau’s personal archives and recent book, Love Looks Not with the Eyes: Thirteen Years with Lee Alexander McQueen, which highlight Alexander McQueen’s working process and fashion shows, will be on view.

In addition, the master of coiffure Charlie Le Mindu will create bespoke head pieces for the exhibition.

Sofia Hedman has curated and designed numerous exhibitions in London, Tokyo and Stockholm. Her central area of interest and expertise is conceptual fashion and art, and the history of fashion combined with a keen commitment to experimental fashion curating. She has investigated what can be deemed characteristics and codes for avant-garde fashion curating and their implications for contemporary exhibitions.

Sofia has published, taught extensively, lectured and supervised in Stockholm at Beckmans College of Design, Architectural Museum, IUAV University in Italy as well as the University of Borås and The Swedish School of Textiles.