Grace Kelly Items on Loan to the VA Museum
28 April 2010
PRESENTING GRACE KELLY – STYLE ICON
Newbridge Silverware loans its two spectacular Grace Kelly Garments to the V&A Museum, London, for the exhibit:
GRACE KELLY STYLE ICON 17th April – 26th September
The first dress is the Givenchy designed dress with worn by the Princess in 1961 during her visit to Ireland and also at lunch in the White House with the Kennedys.
The 2nd dress was worn by a young Grace Kelly in the 1956 Musical, 'High Society' her last ever film role.
The garments will return to the Newbridge Silverware Museum of Style Icons in October 2010 |
|
Grace Kelly: Style Icon
17April - 26 September 2010
Sponsored by Van Cleef & Arpels
 The spectacular wardrobe of Grace Kelly, one of the most popular actresses of the 1950s, will be on display at the V&A Museum this spring. Featuring dresses from her films High Society and Rear Window, as well as the gown she wore to accept her Oscar in 1955, the display will examine Grace Kelly's glamorous Hollywood image and enduring appeal. It will also explore the evolution of her style as Princess Grace of Monaco, from the outfit she wore to her first meeting with Prince Rainier in 1955 to her haute couture gowns of the 1960s and '70s by her favourite couturiers Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Yves St Laurent.
Grace Kelly: Style Icon will be arranged in three sections. 'The Actress' will look at Grace Kelly's acting career and her film costumes. Three costumes designed by MGM's designer, Helen Rose, for Grace Kelly's performance in High Society (1956) will be on show, including a Grecian-style bathing robe and an exquisite embroidered chiffon evening gown. A black chiffon dress worn by Grace Kelly in Rear Window (1954) designed by Edith Head, Paramount's chief costume designer, will also be displayed. Alongside these will be film clips of Kelly's performances and original film posters and magazines from the period. Both on and off screen, Grace Kelly was an ambassador for classic simple American fashions such as shirtwaist dresses. She became known for her impeccable, ladylike accessories and fondness for neat hats and short white gloves. Many examples of these will be on display together with spectacles and sunglasses, which she helped to make the essential fashionable accessory of the day, and the original Hermès 'Kelly bag'.
The next section of the display, 'The Bride', will present the dress Grace Kelly wore for the announcement of her engagement to Prince Rainier of Monaco and the clothes designed for her trousseau and dazzling wedding of 1956. In May 1955 Grace Kelly attended the Cannes Film Festival. To publicise the event French magazine Paris Match arranged a photo shoot with the actress and Prince Rainier. On display will be the floral silk taffeta dress that she wore for this first meeting. Although later described in the press as 'Dior inspired' the dress was in fact an 'easy to sew' outfit from a McCall's Pattern book.
Other highlights of this section will be the belted shirtwaist dress by Branell of New York, which Grace Kelly chose to wear for the official announcement of her engagement to Prince Rainier, and the lace bodice and skirt she wore for her civil marriage ceremony in 1956. Archive film footage of their religious wedding will also be shown.
The final section of the display, 'The Princess', will examine how Grace Kelly's sense of style developed in her new role as princess of Monaco. It will present haute couture outfits created by Parisian couturiers for her official royal engagements such as the purple gown by Yves St Laurent worn in 1981 to a benefit gala for London's Royal Opera House, where she met Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles. Spanning the great changes in fashion across the 1950s, 60s and 70s, this section will include eight dresses by Christian Dior, an opulent beaded jacket by Balenciaga, the striking 'Mondrian dress' designed by Yves Saint Laurent in 1965 and two-piece suits by Coco Chanel, together with jewellery by Van Cleef and Arpels. These will be shown alongside photographs and film footage of Princess Grace at both public and private functions.
The wardrobe of Princess Grace is on loan to the V&A from the Palace Princier, Monaco through the Grimaldi Forum with additional loans from the Balenciaga Museum in Spain and private lenders. H.S.H. Prince Albert said: "My mother treasured her clothes and would have been delighted to have them exhibited at the V&A. Throughout her life she exuded effortless elegance, whether she was appearing at the most spectacular public occasion, or a simple family gathering". |
|
|
Press Contacts:
|
|
|
About the Newbridge Silverware Museum of Style Icons
Located onsite at the Newbridge Silverware Visitor Center, the Museum of Style Icons is a permanent exhibition dedicated to design and style excellence. The Museum showcases artifacts associated with some of the most legendary icons of film and music including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Bette Davis, the Beatles, Gloria Swanson, and many more.
|
|
|
|