Acquiring Beauty at FIDM

With the awarding of the Oscars last Sunday, I want to remind you that FIDM Museum still has the Motion Picture Costume Exhibit on display as well as a second exhibit called Acquiring Beauty, which features fashions from collections owned by the museum.   This exhibit honors the work of the volunteer organization, the FIDM Fashion Council, which is instrumental in the acquisition of these beautiful pieces.  So do take a look. Your first peek through the doorway will take your breath away!

Dominating the entrance is the above dress on a raised revolving platform so one can get a look at the magnificent details.  Created in 2010 specifically for the Fashion Institute this dress was first introduced in McQueen’s Fall/Winter 2008/09 line.  If it looks familiar, you may be Harry Potter fans.  This dress inspired the wedding dress worn by the character Fleur.  The details on this original are marvelous.  Be sure to check out the shoes as well!

Acquiring Beauty features several evening gowns from different periods.  A hundred years before the Peacock Dress, women were wearing dresses that looked entirely more conservative.

The above dress would have been appropriate attire for an evening on the Titanic.  It is indicative of the work of designer Gustave Beer, known for his elegant creations using silk and rhinestones.  This dress came to the museum as part of the Helen Larson Collection.  It’s was created in Paris.

Not everything was evening gowns, although many pieces were.  Or maybe I was attracted to those.  Also on display were gloves and boots, such lovely boots!

The above suede and gilt leather boots were meant to be seen.  Created during the time of the Austrian Empire, these boots were fashionable, expensive evening footwear.

One of my favorite pieces isn’t frothy or shiny, but rather it speaks of subdued elegance.

As soon as I saw the above dress of thought of movies from the 1930s.  Surely all heads would turn when the woman wearing this walked into the room.   Kostio de War (Warkoffska), a Russian designer, created this gown in Paris in 1937.  I tried to discover more about her, but haven’t found much.  She had her own couture house in Paris from the late 1930s to the early 1950s.  She specialized in knitwear.  Who was this mysterious woman?

Acquiring Beauty will be on display at FIDM, located in downtown Los Angeles, through July 7, 2018.  If you intend to see the motion picture costumes as well, you had better hurry.  That exhibit closes on April 7.

If you would like to see all of my FIDM 2018 photos, please click here.