Arnold Scaasi (American, born in 1930), Evening dress, fall 1958, silk plain/satin weave, 36 5/8in., Gift of Arnold Scaasi, made possible through the generous support of Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf, anonymous donors, Penny and Jeff Vinik, Lynne and Mark Rickabaugh, Jane and Robert Burke, Carol Wall, Mrs. I. W. Colburn, Megan O’Block, Lorraine Bressler, and Daria Petrilli-Eckert, 2009.4037.1.
Icons of Style: Fashion Makers, Models, and Images celebrates the interconnected roles of fashion’s makers, the models who wear their designs, and the media that disseminate those looks to the world. Drawing on the MFA’s rich collection of costumes, fashion illustration, and photography, the exhibition explores the process of creating icons of style from design concept to runway and the finished image. The exhibition includes 30 dressed mannequins, fashion illustrations, and photographs that reveal the richness of design, persona, and image. Fashion designers express their creative concepts through their runway shows, and the exhibition features runway pieces by John Galliano for Dior, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Olivier Theyskens for Rochas, Arnold Scaasi, and Christian Lacroix, among others. Designers also collaborate with celebrity clients, using the latter’s star power to convey their vision. Garments worn by personalities such as Kate Blanchett and Winona Ryder as they walked the red carpet in Hollywood are featured, along with an impressive selection of some of the preeminent fashion photographers of the 20th century, including Cecil Beaton, Herb Ritts, Yousuf Karsh, and Richard Avedon.
