Phoenix Museum to display Hollywood's most iconic costumes

25 Feb '14

2 min read

Never before seen outside the movie studio, Rosalyn Rosenfield’s (Jennifer Lawrence) shimmering white dress and Irving Rosenfield’s (Christian Bale) velvet suit, both designed by Oscar-nominated Michael Wilkinson for “American Hustle,” are set to open the international Hollywood Costume exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum, March 26.

Curated by eminent costume designer and historian Dr. Deborah Nadoolman Landis, the show features more than 100 of Hollywood’s most iconic costumes including Dorothy’s (Judy Garland) blue-and-white gingham pinafore from “The Wizard of Oz,” Indiana Jones’ (Harrison Ford) leather jacket from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and Marilyn Monroe’s billowing white dress from “The Seven Year Itch.”

Much more than a display of costumes, the exhibit combines multimedia elements including interviews with actors, costume designers, and filmmakers, animation and clip montages, to fully explore the role that costume design plays in cinema storytelling and the contribution that costume designers make to every production.

Another new addition to the already expansive collection is Darth Vader’s (David Prowse) menacing black suit and cape from “Star Wars,” designed by John Mollo. The rarely seen costume appeared in the London debut of Hollywood Costume, but has not yet been seen as part of the exhibition in the United States. Darth Vader is paired in the show with “Ming the Merciless” (Charles Middleton) from the 1930’s “Flash Gordon” serials and together, they represent the two evil rulers of the universe.

Phoenix Art Museum is the final scheduled stop and one of only two U.S. museums to host the V&A exhibit. Once the show closes July 6, costumes will be returned to studio archives and an international array of private collectors, making it the last opportunity to see one of the largest collections of Hollywood costumes ever assembled. Five years in the making, Hollywood Costume is the greatest exhibition on the collaborative art of filmmaking ever mounted.

Phoenix Art Museum

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