August 13, 2014
Swarovski Tangara Necklace
Precision cut-crystal maker Swarovski is sponsoring The Academy’s Hollywood Costume Exhibit when it presents its last showing this fall at Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, the future location of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and sponsored by Swarovski, the event will feature costume designs from several Hollywood films. The multimedia exhibit will showcase displays of Hollywood’s finest handcraftsmanship, a concept that Swarovski consumers understand and honor.
"Swarovski’s crystal glass sculptures and miniatures, jewelry, home decor, and chandeliers have been part of the landscape for over 100 years," said James Dean, vice president and head of the luxury practice at WealthEngine, Bethesda, MD.
"This innovative exhibit of costume design from films of various periods certainly aligns with Swarovski’s products very well," he said. "Their products certainly would fit well in the films represented in the exhibit."
Mr. Dean is not affiliated with Swarovski, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Swarovski was unable to comment by press deadline.
Movie time
The Academy’s exhibit will feature more than 145 costumes including outfits from recent movies like “Dallas Buyers Club,” “The Hunger Games” and “The Great Gatsby.” Other features include the ruby red slippers from “The Wizard of Oz” and Dorothy’s dress.
The exhibit aims to remind visitors that the films on screen are created by people who have labored over the many essential elements.
Individuals featured at the exhibit
Academy Award nominated costume designer and founding director of UCLA’s costume design program, Deborah Nadoolman Landis, will curate the exhibit.
Items loaned to the exhibition come from more than 60 lenders including actors, picture studios, public museums, archives and costume houses.
The exhibition is organized through acts. Act one centers on deconstruction and follows the designers' research through designs, sketches, fittings and scripts.
Act two is dialogue, which features film footage and focuses on films by directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Tim Burton.
The final act presents the most memorable costumes in cinema and the inspiration that the costumes and characters have spurred.
Statistics about exhibit
Swarovski will sponsor the exhibit. The crystal house has contributed jewelry to Hollywood films since the 1930s and continues to be a part of costume and set design in modern films.
The exhibit will run from Oct. 2 - Mar. 2. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 or seniors and $10 for students and children.
Museum clout
The honor of being showcased in a museum exhibit raises brand recognition among museum visitors, and the many people who hear about the inclusion.
For instance, British automakers Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce were featured in the “Bond in Motion” exhibit at the London Film Museum, commemorating the James Bond franchise that has boosted the prestige of many auto brands.
The 1964 Aston Martin DB5 from “Goldeneye” and Goldfinger’s Rolls-Royce Phantom III were among the vehicles on display. For luxury brands focused on touting heritage, recognition by independent museums acts as a rite of passage (see story).
Similarly, German automaker BMW was facilitating “The Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945-2014″ exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, by acting as the fleet for VIP guests.
The exhibition showcased more than 100 accessories and ensembles from prominent Italian fashion houses. As an innovator in the automotive space, BMW gained additional credibility by aligning itself with innovators elsewhere (see story).
A museum exhibit aligns a brand with the history or art being presented and can create an aura of prestige to visitors.
"Customers will enjoy the relevancy that Swarovski brings to the exhibition and further appreciate the beautiful products they offer," Mr. Dean said.
"Many of the consumers will think again of buying Swarovski’s crystal and glass products again as a result of the sponsorship," he said.
Final Take
Nancy Buckley, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
Share your thoughts. Click here
