Beloved classic, haunting origin story, historical satire, epic mob saga, and Hollywood nostalgia: this year’s Academy Award nominees for Best Costume Design span the gamut of film genres. One thing they all have in common is a unique aesthetic created by the masterful designers featured in the FIDM Museum’s Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition. Oscar nominees Jacqueline Durran (Little Women), Mark Bridges (Joker), Mayes C. Rubeo (JoJo Rabbit), Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson (The Irishman), and Arianne Phillips (Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood) are among the many designers showcased in this annual exhibition, which includes over 100 costumes from 30 films. As always, we’ve brought back last year’s Academy Award winning costumes: Black Panther, designed by Ruth Carter – shown alongside her Oscar statuette!
On February 1, industry professionals and Museum colleagues gathered for the exhibition’s opening night reception. From veterans such as Michael Kaplan (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) – recipient of the Costume Designers Guild Career Achievement Award – to newcomers like Mitchell Travers (Late Night and Hustlers), the night was a celebration of the costume design community. Read on for a behind-the-scenes look at the festivities, and make sure to schedule your visit to the exhibition sooner rather than later; it closes after a six-week run on March 21!
A dramatic entrance featuring Queen Ramonda’s costume from Black Panther, designed by Ruth Carter
A dazzling array of costumes great visitors in the first gallery
Cate Adair, Vice President of the Costume Designers Guild, Mitchell Travers, costume designer for Hustlers and Late Night, Salvador Perez, President of the Costume Designers Guild, and costume designer Ann Foley
FIDM Museum Coordinator Leigh Wishner with Curator Kevin Jones
Mark Bridges, Academy Award nominated costume designer for Joker
Sanja Milkovoc Hayes, costume designer for Captain Marvel
Tj Walker, Co-Founder of Cross Colours, Ruth E. Carter, costume designer for Dolemite is My Name and Black Panther, and Kevan Hall, Fashion Designer and FIDM Alumnus
Ruth Carter’s Oscar statuette from last year’s Black Panther win
Michael Kaplan, costume designer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Barbara Bundy, FIDM Museum Director, Kevin Jones, Curator, Peter Lam, FIDM Museum Creative Director and Joanna Abijaoude, Museum Associate
Doris Raymond, owner of The Way We Wore vintage boutique
Kinya Claiborne and Roshumba Williams
Dolemite is My Name, designed by Ruth Carter
Aladdin, designed by Michael Wilkinson
Avengers: Endgame, designed by Judianna Makovsky
Downton Abbey, designed by Anna Robbins
Missing Link, designed by Deborah Cook
Knives Out, designed by Jenny Eagan
Harriet, designed by Paul Tazewell
Dumbo, designed by Colleen Atwood
Inside the elegant party tent