By Jessica Teich, news correspondent
Fashionable garments, once donned by Hollywood’s finest, fill the MFA’s Loring Gallery in tribute to the Arnold Scaasi’s lengthy career.
“Scaasi: American Couturier,” the new exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), displays a collection of luxurious eveningwear crafted by the legendary designer.
The exhibit is part of Fashion Month at the MFA, which kicked off on Oct. 1 with Fashion First Friday, a variation of the museums monthly celebration. Guests got mini-makeovers, munched on hors d’oeuvres and sipped cocktails while watching models from Saks Fifth Avenue showcase 2010 runway looks.
In the 1950s, Scaasi started setting the bar for the good life by focusing on custom-made clothing in an industry largely dominated by ready-to-wear garments. The couturier – someone who makes original outfits for private clients – became known for the intricate detailing, lavish material and elegant lines of his designs. He designed the flashy, glamorous pieces for women with corresponding lifestyles.
Heads turned, interests piqued, and soon, starlets, socialites and first ladies were clamoring for an outfit that Scaasi would perfect with more than 60 measurements and 120 hours of labor. Scassi remained a major designer for the remainder of the 20th century, creating hundreds of chic ensembles for fabulous women.
The Scaasi exhibit features a collection of wardrobes belonging to actresses Barbra Streisand and Arlene Francis and socialites Joetta Norban and Gayfryd Steinberg. Displays showcase the stars’ flashiest cocktail dresses, finest evening gowns, quirkiest jumpsuits and most elegant gala dresses.
Of the four wardrobes displayed, Steinberg’s is the most dazzling and predominant, accounting for 12 of the exhibit’s 26 garments. It’s here that glitteringly bold hues of silk, chiffon, lace, velvet and satin meet a sprinkle of crystals and pearls or an edge of mink. Despite Steinberg’s dominance of the displays, Barbra Streisand’s garb steals the spotlight.
According to Pamela Parmal, the David and Roberta Logie curator of textile and fashion arts, Streisand’s black pants ensemble from the 1969 Oscars receives the most attention from visitors.
The sheer, sequined suit stirred up controversy when Streisand delivered her acceptance speech. Under the glare of bright stage lights and flashbulbs, the actress appeared to be completely exposed. But the crafty Scaasi lined the outfit in a flesh-toned fabric, averting a very public wardrobe malfunction.
“Scaasi: American Couturier” will remain on display in the Loring Gallery of the MFA until June 2011. Admission is free for members and Northeastern students. Tickets for the public are $20.
