Tony-Nominated costumes from the stage musical Follies are adding some pizzazz to the Museum foyer during the installation of our next exhibition. Follies, currently playing at the Ahmanson Theatre, was just honored with 8 Tony Award® nominations, including one for the costumes designed by Gregg Barnes.

A selection of costume illustrations by Barnes, noted for their sumptuous use of gauche, dimensional paint, and sequin embellishments will accompany the costumes.

It was a history of costume course in college that put Barnes on his award-winning path, so it is appropriate that FIDM Fashion and Costume Design students, inspired by his designs, are adding to the exhibit with their own lavish illustrations. Barnes won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design and the Outer Critics Circle Award for his work on the 2006 production of The Drowsy Chaperone.

Kevin Jones, FIDM Museum Curator, is creating a period ensemble from the FIDM Museum Study Collection to round out the installation.

Fashion to Follies will be on display until May 20th.

Nora Martin, the prestigious private couturier, has donated over 2,150 yards of designer fabrics to the FIDM Scholarship Foundation. Thanks to this generous gift, more students will have the opportunity to attend FIDM with support from the Scholarship Foundation.

Brocades, hand-loomed silks, wools, French laces, tweeds, silk chiffon, cottons, metallics, hand-embroidered silks, hand-beaded Chantilly, leathers, and trims will be available at greatly reduced prices to the public beginning Monday, May 21, 2012. The FIDM Scholarship Foundation, Inc. will receive all proceeds and grant scholarships in Nora Martin’s name beginning in Fall 2012.

The entire FIDM community is grateful for the donations and support from Ms. Martin and all the other benefactors.

Hours:

Monday, May 21, 12pm–7pm

Tuesday–Friday, May 22 to 25th, from 10am to 7pm, or while supplies last.

For more information about the Scholarship Foundation, contact: Nicki Anderson: nanderson@fidmscholarship.org

Gift of Mary Coquillard, FIDM Museum Collection, 97.196.1

Visit The Annette Green Fragrance Archive to see this just-installed Christian Dior silk satin evening gown from c. 1955. The garment is a sumptuous example of Dior’s classic silhouette: the tightly nipped waist and the excessive use of fabric that he introduced in his first collection in 1947. The “New Look” offered a heavy contrast to the rationed use of fabric during the war years, and remained his prominent design aesthetic until his death in 1957.

Many prominent designers of the twentieth century, including Jean Ebel, Pierre Balmain, and Hubert de Givenchy, studied under Lucien Lelong before opening their own houses, including Christian Dior. He was employed by Lelong for four years before leaving to open his own couture house in 1946.