by Beth Keating
News
DisneyBizJournal.com
May 20, 2021
The recent title of a new museum exhibition, Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume, piqued my interest on two levels. First, as an avid Disney fan, I have always been fascinated by the detailing Disney puts into their projects, whether at the theme parks or in the movies. Secondly, having spent numerous hours editing my husband’s Pastor Stephen Grant novel, also titled Heroes and Villains, the exhibition name automatically jumped up off the page at me.
The museum version of Heroes & Villains will open to the public on June 5, 2021 at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP ) in Seattle, Washington, with tickets to the exhibition now on sale. The exhibition showcases more than 70 original pieces illustrating how the understanding of iconic characters is shaped through the artistry and creativity of its costumes. This will be the first worldwide appearance of the exhibition outside of Disney’s D23 Expo, and is presented in collaboration with the Walt Disney Archives.
The display will span more than 6,000 square feet with “ball gowns, sorcerers’ capes, military uniforms, tiaras, and of course glass slippers, from some of Disney’s toughest villains and kindest heroes, many on custom mannequins, as well as photographs and a special film.”
The Heroes & Villains exhibition highlights include:
- Ten Cinderella pieces including ball gowns, tiaras, slippers and other accessories including a gown from 2015’s Cinderella by Sandy Powell made from more than 270 yards of fabric and adorned with over 10,000 crystals.
- Work from 19 different designers, 11 of whom are Oscar® winners and nominees: Colleen Atwood, Jenny Beavan, Jacqueline Durran, Anthony Powell, Sandy Powell, Bill Thomas, Paco Delgado, Gary Jones, Jeffrey Kurland, Judianna Makovsky, and Anna Sheppard.
- Maleficent dress worn by Angelina Jolie, along with her staff, designed by Anna Sheppard.
- Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) costumes by Penny Rose including Jack Sparrow’s outfit worn by Johnny Depp and Barbossa’s outfit worn by Geoffrey Rush — both of which were made without zippers or Velcro, as Rose wanted the construction to be authentic.
- The three witches’ dresses from Hocus Pocus (1993) worn by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy — all designed by Mary Vogt — plus the vacuum!
- The oldest costume on display is Mary Poppins’ traveling dress designed by Bill Thomas and worn by Julie Andrews in the 1964 film. It is paired with the traveling dress designed by Sandy Powell and worn by Emily Blunt in 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns.
- The newest costumes on display are four pieces from 2019’s Dumbo, designed by Colleen Atwood.
Several interactive features will be making an appearance at the exhibit as well. A MoPOP designed “Magic Mirror,” inspired by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, invites guests to virtually “try on” costumes featured in the exhibition, including pieces from Cinderella, Maleficent, Jack Sparrow, or Mary Poppins. (The technology uses a touchless format and a depth camera to transform visitors’ outfits.)
A second interactive area called “Getting Into Character” allows visitors to explore the materials, colors, textures, and forms with which costume designers work. As MoPOP describes, “guests ‘step into’ an area where a projector detects their presence and an animated collage of materials, colors, textures, and/or patterns used to define a particular character are displayed along with information explaining the character and costume design.”
“Costuming is an essential element of storytelling and Heroes & Villains exemplifies the richness of character we hope our films portray,” said Becky Cline, director of the Walt Disney Archives. “It has been thrilling to collaborate with MoPOP’s curators to bring a selection of the stunning pieces we have at the Walt Disney Archives to Seattle.”
The Museum of Pop Culture is located at 325 5th Ave. N, in Seattle, Washington. Tickets are $6 for the special exhibit, plus general museum admission. (The range is from $32.50 to $37.00, including the special exhibit fee and dependent on ticket category, day and time). There is no additional charge for MoPOP members. The show runs through April 17, 2022.
Incidentally, the Ray Keating version of Heroes and Villains: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is available right here. No Disney connection implied!
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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.
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