One of the things why I love London so much is that there’s always some great exhibition going on. To my excitement this Spring/Summer the Victoria & Albert museum will have an exhibition about the beautiful clothes of Grace Kelly. And the good news is, I will be in London this Spring together with the two other Three in a Crowd ladies! (Yes, this means I’m dragging you along to the Victoria & Albert).
Grace Kelly In Rear Window (1954), dress by Edith Head
With her mother in the fifties
At the Oscars in 1955, behind her is Audrey Hepburn
On display will be dresses from many of her most famous films, including ‘High Society’ and ‘Rear Window’; the gown she wore to accept her ‘Best Actress’ Oscar in 1955, for ‘The Country Girl’; the outfit she wore for her first meeting with Prince Rainier of Monaco; and pieces from her opulent haute couture wardrobe of the 1960s and 1970s by her favourite Paris couturiers, including Christian Dior, Cristobal Balenciaga, Hubert de Givenchy and Yves Saint Laurent.
In High Society(1956)
With Alfred Hitchcock on the set of To Catch a Thief (1955)
‘Grace Kelly: Style Icon’ will be arranged in three sections, tracing her evolution from MGM and Paramount silver screen star to real-life Princess. Three costumes designed by MGM’s Helen Rose, for Grace Kelly’s performance in ‘High Society’, in 1956, will be on show, including a Grecian-style bathing robe, and an embroidered evening gown, along with the black chiffon dress, designed by Paramount’s chief costume designer, Edith Head, for the Alfred Hitchcock classic, ‘Rear Window’.
Wedding dress, designed by Helen Rose
A second section will focus on the dress Grace Kelly wore for the announcement of her engagement to Prince Rainier and the clothes designed for her trousseau and dazzling wedding, in 1956.
The final section will illustrate her growing sense of style as fashion and culture ambassadress of the principality, and will include many couture gowns created for official royal engagements, such as the purple YSL, worn in 1981, to a Royal Opera House gala in London, where Princess Grace met the then Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles.
With prince Rainier
With the Hermès ‘Kelly’ bag
The exhibition spans fashion across four decades, and includes eight dresses by Christian Dior, an extravagant, beaded Balenciaga jacket, Yves Saint Laurent’s ‘Mondrian’ dress of 1965, Coco Chanel suits jewellery by Van Cleef & Arpels, and, of course, the famous, original Hermès ‘Kelly’ bag.
Grace Kelly: Style Icon, April 17th-26th September, Victoria & Albert Museum, London; admission £6.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Three in a Crowd 