Costumes of characters from some of Hollywood’s most loved films were brought to life at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on October 17, 2012. Some of the costumes on display included Scarlett O’Hara’s green dress, Darth Vader, Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp outfit among others.
The aim of the show was to explain how costume design creates unique and believable characters. Guest curator of the museum Deborah Landis said that costume design is about creating an authentic individual rather than creating clothes.
One of the show-stealers for the evening was the outfit worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’, including her slippers and the blue and while gingham pinafore. The show helped to highlight changing trends over a decade, where necklines plunged as censorship laws were relaxed and how modern costumes were being designed with technology in mind.
There were some costumes that were expected to make the cut such as the white halter-neck dress from ‘The Seven Year Itch’, worn by Marilyn Monroe. The cream and black gown worn my Elizabeth Taylor in ‘Cleopatra’ also made the cut, along with the sleeveless Givenchy gown worn by Audrey Hepburn in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’.
The British Film Institute said that in going with the theme of the exhibition, it would be giving 500 costumes to the museum, including Christopher Reeve’s ‘Superman IV’ outfit. The costume exhibition is set to open on October 20, 2012 and run until January 27, 2013.
