OKLAHOMA CITY (June 20, 2024) - Edith Head: Hollywood’s Costume Designer, a one-of-a-kind exhibition exclusive to Oklahoma City, opens Saturday, June 22, at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art (OKCMOA). The highly anticipated exhibition, organized by OKCMOA and presented by The Ann Lacy Foundation, will explore the incomparable career of eight-time Oscar®-winning costume designer Edith Head (1897-1981) through sketches, screening areas, and 70 original costumes.
Edith Head: Hollywood’s Costume Designer will fill the Museum’s third-floor galleries and highlight Head’s rule over Paramount and Universal Studios’ costume departments. From musicals to romantic comedies and biblical epics, the list of film genres—and Hollywood stars —Head designed for is extensive, and each of these and more are represented in the exhibition.
“Only at OKCMOA this summer will you be able to see one of Grace Kelly’s Rear Window dresses alongside Cornel Wilde’s costume from The Greatest Show on Earth, Barbara Stanwyck’s dress from All About Eve, and beachwear from Elvis Presley films,” said Catherine Shotick, curator of the exhibition. “Together these costumes help tell the story of Edith Head’s legacy as one of the greatest and most influential costume designers in film history.”
Accompanying these examples of Edith Head’s storied career, visitors will find labels that give insight into not only the costumes themselves but to the film-making industry at that time and the actors’ careers as well. In continuing with OKCMOA’s accessibility initiatives, visitors can find QR codes throughout the exhibition that, when scanned, will lead to both English and Spanish audio of label and panel text, as well as visual descriptions of select costumes. Visitors are encouraged to take their time in and return often to this sweeping exhibition, which will not travel beyond Oklahoma City.
Programming will accompany the exhibition throughout its run in the form of a weekly Edith Head film series, the Museum Book Club, tours, Drop-In Art, and more. For more information, please visit okcmoa.com.
As with all exhibitions, Museum members receive free entry to Edith Head: Hollywood’s Costume Designer, early access, invitations to exclusive events, and discounts on films and programming. For more information, please visit okcmoa.com/membership.
Tickets are available online at okcmoa.com, in person, or by calling the Museum’s main number (405) 236-3100. Edith Head: Hollywood’s Costume Designer will run through September 29.