Bjork's swan impression at the 2001 Oscars. Audrey Hepburn's classic black shifts. These dresses made the pages of fashion history - and at the newest exhibition at the Phoenix Art Museum, they're also considered an art form.
"After Dark: 100 Years of the Evening Dress," will make its debut at the Phoenix Art Museum on Nov. 11 in the Fashion Design Collection wing. The museum has grown its fashion collection to hold more than 5,000 men's, women's and children's clothing and accessory pieces, taking visitors on a tour of haute couture from the 17th century to the present.
Museum curator Dennita Sewell says each piece that is acquired "has significant merit as a work of art based on its design."
The gallery has long been one of the nation's few exceptional collections of fashion pieces that have made an impact on the social scene over the years. "The collection is renowned internationally for its quality and comprehensiveness," Sewell says.
Recent renovations to the Phoenix Art Museum have moved the Fashion Design Gallery to the new four-level Katz wing, just in time for the new exhibition, which will showcase 31 evening dresses from the Fashion Design Gallery. "The dresses selected represent the evolution of the evening dress from the late 19th century to today," Sewell says. Designers such as Chanel, Dior and Yves Saint Laurent will all have gowns appearing in the exhibit.
Sewell is sure that visitors will find their own favorites within the elegant display. "Whether you like an hour-glass, bustle style or the svelte, Hollywood glamour style, there are gowns for all tastes," she says.
And visitors, especially college students, can use the exhibit to think about the ideas and artistry behind the dresses. "The Fashion Design Gallery can be enjoyed purely for fashion, but it is really a reflection of humanity," she says. "Clothes are a true reflection of the people of a society and how they relate to each other and what their lives are like."
Sewell adds that fellow artists should use the gallery for their own creations. "I really recommend coming to the gallery to sketch on occasion," she says. "This is a great way to improve your eye for design and proportion."
And in regards to design, Sewell says the evening dress allows for the truest form of artistic expression in fashion. "For a fashion designer, the evening dress is the garment that allows for the greatest creative freedom," she says. "They are not constrained with the practicality that is needed for day wear."
By seeing "100 Years of the Evening Dress," visitors can not only collect inspiration from the most fashionable pieces, but, as Sewell suggests, they can gain an understanding for how fashion relates to the greater community. "The clothing industry is a multi-billion dollar business that affects all levels of society," Sewell says. "The more we can learn about our past, the more informed we can be about ourselves and the decisions we make going forward."
If you go...
After Dark: 100 Years of the Evening Dress at the Phoenix Art Museum
Nov. 11, 2006 - April 1, 2007
1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
www.phxart.org
Reach the reporter at: amanda.fruzynski@asu.edu
