Twenty years' worth of movie costumes amassed by the BFI are going to be left in the care of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). Some of these will be exhibited in the Hollywood Costume Exhibition which opens to the public on October 20th this year.
Around 700 costumes - the entirety of the BFI's costume collection reports the BBC will be given to the museum that has become the home of design history in the UK include a Superman outfit worn by the late Christopher Reeve, as well as a dress worn by Marylin Monroe in the classic comedy 'Some Like It Hot'. The exhibition will not include all 700 donated costumes, rather, the V&A have chosen 130 classic costumes from the ages. These include iconic superhero outfits such as Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman suit and the Spider-Man suit worn by Tobey Maguire. Plus, in an wonderful and special gift to the UK, the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC is letting the British museum Dorothy's red slippers, worn by Judy Garland, in the Wizard of Oz's for four weeks. There was a gala party to celebrate the exhibition, which included guests Simon Pegg and Helena Bonham Carter.
Although not all the generously donated pieces will be seen in the Hollywood Costume Exhibition, highlights of the collection will be included at the V&A's Theatre and Performance galleries. The Telegraph reports that the majority of the generous gift from the BFI will be held at one of the V&A sites in Olympia which is where the new “Clothworkers' Centre for Textile and Fashion Study and Conservation” will open, this time next year.
