BOSTON, MASS.- One’s choice of dress can express a mood or ambition, make a political statement or communicate a personal identity. Organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Dress Up explores adornment and the creation of a look through more than 100 works of fashion and jewelry—a majority of which are new MFA acquisitions and have never been on view before. The exhibition removes the delineation between fashion and jewelry, focusing on how they play an inseparable and integral role in the act of dressing up—from childhood to adulthood, from fantasy to reality.

The exhibition was organized by Emily Stoehrer, Rita J. Kaplan and Susan B. Kaplan Curator of Jewelry, and theo tyson, Curator of Fashion Arts. It is on view in the Henry and Lois Foster Gallery, located in the Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art, from April 13 through September 2, 2024.

Dress Up draws from the breadth of the MFA’s own holdings of 20th- and 21st-century fashion and jewelry, including standout pieces by fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen, Bob Mackie, John Galliano and Oscar de la Renta; jewelry from designers like Hattie Carnegie, Elsa Peretti and House of Lanvin; and accessories by designers like Thom Solo. The fashion on view is also complemented by photographs from the MFA’s collection, including works by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Martin Parr as well as portraits of Madonna by Herb Ritts and Grace Kelly by Yousuf Karsh.

The exhibition debuts pieces from an important collection of vintage costume jewelry that was acquired by the Museum in 2018 and 2019 from Toronto-based collector Carole Tanenbaum. These objects, 60 of which are on view, incorporate inexpensive materials such as base metals and became popular complements to ready-to-wear fashion in the 20th century. Both industries benefited from advancements in mass production techniques, which allowed for the creation of more affordable and accessible clothing and accessories for a wider array of consumers.

Additional notable acquisitions that are on view at the MFA for the first time include:

· A Big in Japan ensemble (2019) by Jean Paul Gaultier and Mariko Kusumoto, a Lexington, Massachusetts-based artist who makes textile-based jewelry like the brooches that are integral to this haute couture piece from Gaultier’s Spring/Summer 2019 collection

· Manolo Blahnik shoes (about 2006) and two dresses—one designed by Valentino (about 2010)—that were worn by singer and songwriter Donna Summer, who was born in Boston’s Mission Hill neighborhood

· The Aviary Classic Ring (2023) by Of Rare Origin, a version of which was worn by poet Amanda Gorman at the 2021 presidential inauguration

· Two sets of beaded earrings (both 2022) by Tiffany Vanderhoop (Aquinnah Wampanoag and Haida) and a ceremonial robe handwoven by her mother Evelyn Vanderhoop (Haida)

· The Glass Slipper heels (2021) by Boston-based designer Thom Solo that each incorporate more than 20,000 Swarovski crystals

· A pair of shoes with a double-headed eagle motif (2012) designed by Olivier Rousteing for Pierre Balmain

· A handwoven ensemble (2022) by Korina Emmerich for EMME Studio that pays homage to her Puyallup heritage and was worn during an annual red dress installation in honor of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives

Spectacular loans include an ensemble that was worn by the interior designer and fashion icon Iris Apfel and a little black dress by Patrick Kelly that shows his flair for the dramatic, both on loan from the Peabody Essex Museum. Maltese Cross cuff bracelets that were designed by Fulco di Verdura for Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel are also on view, courtesy of Verdura (New York).

Twenty-five participants from the MFA’s three teen programs—Teen Arts Council, STEAM Team and Curatorial Study Hall—contributed to Dress Up in collaboration with photographer Jaypix Belmer and stylist Mary O’Keeffe. A styling, modeling and photography session resulted in eight photographs displayed in the exhibition.