Princess Grace at the Princely Palace, about 1960; Erwin Blumenfeld, Portrait of Grace Kelly, New York, 1955
The V&A museum has opened its doors to welcome visitors to experience and view a fine collection of Grace Kelly’s dresses and items that she owned throughout her lifetime.
The exhibition itself was separated into the different stages of her life in the public eye. We loved the ballgown designed by Maggy Rouff – a huge light pink puffball-esque dress with sequin detailing. On the bust of the dress is a large mesh bow, inset with springs of lavender.
The first section of the exhibition shows Kelly’s sophisticated evening gowns during her time as an actress. An array of dress were on display, from her films such as High Society (1956) and the gown she wore to the Academy Awards, where she won Best Actress.
Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra in High Society 1956; Grace Kelly in Rear Window with James Stewart, 1954; Grace Kelly with her Oscar award, 30 March 1955
Dresses on display included a silk organza nautical style dress, with a mesh outer layer designed by Helen Roe, along with a simple beige silk crepe dress with a rope belt in the middle. Other sections in the exhibition include her time as Princess Grace, showcasing a collection of finely made and signature Chanel suits, in an orange plaid design, with an unfinished raw edge.
Throughout the exhibition, there were small areas that showcased Kelly’s beautiful jewellery collection, which included a variety of brooches and hair pins, that came in the form of diamond encrusted animals, along with a tiara that reflected light in every direction.
Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco, 1956; Prince Rainier and Princess Grace after the civil marriage ceremony, 18 April, 1956; Portrait of Princess Grace on her tenth wedding anniversary, 1966
In the centre of the exhibition stood a large collection of Kelly’s evening dresses, created by a range of different designers. It’s interesting to see Kelly’s earlier clothes which were created by lesser known designers and as her public profile rose, how she started to order garments created by more well-known designers. A stand out piece was a bright vibrant Christian Dior dress, boasting a beautiful pattern in yellows, orange and pinks whilst being scattered with diamonds.
The collection is a beautiful exhibition showcasing the wonderful costume and garments that graced Kelly, however the key piece must be the original ‘Kelly’ bag by Hermès, the signature brown messenger style bag, named especially after Kelly.
The exhibition is a beautiful dedication to a memorable and stunning Hollywood style icon, the beautiful Grace Kelly.
Grace Kelly: Style Icon continues at the V&A London until September 26 2010.
Image credits left to right and top to bottom: Princess Grace at the Princely Palace, about 1960, © Howell Conant/Bob Adelman books; Erwin Blumenfeld, Portrait of Grace Kelly, New York, 1955. © The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld 2009; Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra in ‘High Society’ 1956 Eric Carpenter/MGM (Kobal Collection); Grace Kelly in ‘Rear Window’ with James Stewart, 1954 © Everett/Rex features; Grace Kelly with her Oscar award, 30 March 1955 © Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco, 1956 © Snap/Rex features; Prince Rainier and Princess Grace after the civil marriage ceremony, 18 April, 1956, © Rex Features; Portrait of Princess Grace on her tenth wedding anniversary, 1966, © Howell Conant/Bob Adelman books.
