Elizabeth BoatmanI look forward to this time of year in Los Angeles because it means that the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) will have its annual Movie Costume exhibit. This year marks the 27th event and is aptly named the 27th Art of Motion Picture Costume Design. Just in case you’re wondering, no, I haven’t been to all twenty-seven.
Oscar Time for Costume Design!
The exhibit always begins with a costume from the Academy Award winning collection from the previous year. I see no reason to change that pattern. Here is a gown designed by Mark Bridges.
Contrast the above elegant gown with Ruth E. Carter’s design for this year’s winning movie, Black Panther.
The above costumes were stunning on screen, and they’re even better in person! The detail and beading are spectacular. I’ll include on more image before moving on.
A woman standing next to me said that the cape or shrug (is there a name for this garment?) is created with a 3-D printer. If one garment is damaged, another can be created.
My favorite, but I’m biased
I’m tempted to focus on the movies I’ve seen. If you know me, that means Marvel and Star Wars. I’ll try to be more diverse, but first, here’s a quick peek at the costumes from Solo: A Star Wars Story.
The standout among these is, of course, Enfys Nest. I took countless photos of her outfit.
Familiar Names in Costume Design
After going to FIDM for many years, one gets used to seeing the names of certain designers. It’s rather like meeting an old friend. Here’s one, Jenny Beavan.
I love the work on Shiver on the far left and Hawthorne who is behind Clara on the right. The Sugar Plum Fairy’s dress is magnificent.
Sandy Powell is another familiar name. She designed the costumes for the Disney film, Mary Poppins Returns. Her work received a costume design nomination from the Academy.
The most impressive thing in the image above is the watercolor effect. Imagine the effort to create that fabric!
A quick glance…
I could write all day about this exhibition, but the truth is, one should see it in person. I’ll add one or two more images just for fun.
There were several historical movies such as Outlaw King and Mary Queen of Scots. Here is some detail from The Favourite, another period piece from the time of Queen Anne.
I like Abigail’s headpiece. Here’s a closer look.
Here’s a link if you need to know more about the word fontage. I did. Sandy Powell received her second nomination this year for her work on the costumes for The Favourite.
Tips
- The costume exhibition is currently running through April 12, 2019
- Admission is free.
- There is a parking garage under the building. The charge is $5.00 but I’ve never paid on Saturday.
- Be sure to check out the FIDM Scholarship Store. It’s on the corner of Nineth and Grand.
It was difficult to decide which photos to include in the my story. The costumes are all so marvelous! To see more images from my visit to FIDM, including the other award nominees, please click here.
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