Hollywood Exhibition

Last night, a typical cold London night I was one of the lucky few to warm my self up with a visit to the V&A Hollywood Costume Exhibition.

Having visited a few costume exhibitions I was prepared for the glass cabinet display with just the costumes to interest me, how wrong I was. I really put my hands together to the curator Deborah Landis and the team and the time spent on the design, set up and constant maintaining

The exhibition really opened my eyes to costume more than what I had studied back at university. The exhibition is split into 3 parts explaining different processes and how the designers and their teams approach the costume process from start to finish.

I don’t want to give too much away because it really is a exhibition you must go see, so I shall just explain my favourites.

I choose categories to put certain costumes in,

1. The costume that I felt privileged to see
2. Which costume excited me the most
3. If I could take one home which could it be
4. The ‘wow how did they do that’ costume
5. The ‘is that all’ costume

1. The Vivien Liegh costume worn in Gone With the Wind, made back in the 30's was a stunning costume to view. The emerald green with the hat with is intricate details was amazing. Named the 'curtain dress' made me think twice about turning my curtains into a dress.

A costume that really wowed me and is a privilege for everyone is the stunning peacock gown and dress seen in Samson and Delilah. The gown made from real peacock feathers from the directors own farm almost expresses some of todays fashions, with the cutout detail and intricate jewels and colours which are still so vivid after so many years. The story behind the costume coming together is an interesting one as the dress and gown where owned by two different people and eventually purchased by Paramount Pictures who were then able to loan it to the V&A for it to be viewed in all its glory.

2. Excitement. Not costumes to propose excitement but seeing the Addams Family costumes, especially been spoilt by two of Morticia Addams dresses, was a highlight of my night! One of my favourite film collections for design and been able to see close up the work on the dresses worn by Angelica Huston was amazing.

Also not forgetting a close up of the stunning suit worn by Daniel Craig himself in Casino Royale :)

3. OK, so which ones if I could take home would I. Well most of them to be honest. I would happily walk down the street dressed as Meryl Streep from Mamma Mia or As Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra. But i out it down to costumes that I loved in the films and loved in real life. If you have seen Atonement with Kiera Knightley, then you know what dress I would happily take home and never eat again to be able to fit in. The colour and shape of the dress really delivers what designer Jacquelin Durran wanted to achieve, a seductive and free dress that feels as if Knightley character Cecilia is 'naked'.

A complete step away from that gorgeous dress, one of my favourite characters the eccentric Tyler Durden from Fight Club played by Brad Pitt, had a tank top exhibited which suited the character so well, designer Michael Kaplan did a great job at creating the right personalities for the two characters within the film.

4. So the the best collection throughout and most impressive had to be the royal costumes seem in films such as Marie Antoinette, Anna Karenina and films of the famous red headed Queen Elizabeth. The adaptations of these films span years of generations of film making showing techniques developed or lost over the years, whilst all still maintaining the correct era of costume.

All of these costumes where so amazing and shows the talents of the team of designers behind them. The most interesting was a costume from Marie Antoinette, the colour of blue used and the detail within the dress made it look like small waves running over the dress and then following the fashion of that time, a lovely detailed ship hat on top of the wig, amazing!

5. OK so maybe not a great title, but what I mean by 'is that all' is that the costume is simple but on screen looks amazing. None fits this description other than the Darth Vadar costume from the first Star Wars films. A simple black cloak, odd helmet and plastic chest armour detailed within paint screams fear in the movies for me but at the exhibition, in my opinion I could have definitely saved the galaxy!

I could add a whole lot more to my list, I have probably even forgotten a few costumes as well because it was such a big collecting which I feel lucky to have seen. Unfortunately advanced tickets have sold out, but you can still get daily tickets. On reading the V&A website if you arrive at 10am they have selected time slots with tickets so if get your self there and I'm telling you, it is so worth it!

Hollywood Costume @ the V&A

Elle xx