Dressing the Stars

Dressing the Stars: British Costume Design at the Academy Awards
July 2011

 

Fans of Johnny Depp will be delighted to hear about an exciting addition to the exhibition, Dressing the Stars: British Costume Design at the Academy Awards. The exhibition which opens at the Bath and North East Somerset Council-run Assembly Rooms on 12 July, will feature Depp’s costume as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.

 

The designer, Penny Rose, was nominated for a BAFTA Film Award for Best Costume Design in 2003 for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and in 2006 for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Rose estimates having between 3,000 and 4,000 costumes made for each Pirates film, including many doubles of Johnny Depp’s costume to accommodate him and his six stunt doubles. Alongside the Depp costume will be another worn by Orlando Bloom as Will Turner in The Curse of the Black Pearl.

 

Yvonne Hellin-Hobbs, curator of the exhibition, said: “After the first Pirates film Disney Films kept most of the costumes so it is rare to see an authentic example on display.”

 

Over forty costumes will be on display in total in the exhibition, worn by stars including Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter in The King’s Speech and Keira Knightley in The Duchess, some of which was shot at the Assembly Rooms in Bath. Other costumes include those worn by Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson in Sense and Sensibility, Cate Blanchett in  Elizabeth,  Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love, and Meryl Streep in The French Lieutenant’s Woman.

 

Yvonne Hellin-Hobbs commented “This is a great opportunity to showcase some spectacular and iconic costumes from some great films. We have even tracked down some armour from the original Ben-Hur film and we are having it flown in from Rome especially for the exhibition. It is also a chance to bring the public’s attention the design process and the designers behind them; another group of Brits on the red carpet”

 

A programme of events is planned surrounding the exhibition including screenings of the films at The Little Theatre, St Michaels Place, Bath.

On Monday 25 July at 6.30pm, Tom Rand, costume designer, introduces The French Lieutenant’s Woman; on Sunday 7 August at 7pm, Jenny Beavan, costume designer, introduces The Kings Speech; and on Friday 19 August at 7pm Julian Fellowes, Oscar-winning screenwriter, introduces The Young Victoria. Advance booking line: 0871 902 5735. Two for one entry with a Fashion Museum ticket if produced on the door.

 

The exhibition continues until 29 August. Entry is included in the Fashion Museum ticket, and is free to local resident Discovery Card holders.

More information can be found a http://www.fashionmuseum.co.uk/.

 

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ENDS