Los Angeles Fashion Institute Exhibits Oscar-Nominated Costume Designs

The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in downtown Los Angeles has an interesting tradition in place. Every year, the Institute puts on display costumes from movies that released through the previous year. This year is no different. In fact, it happens to be the 19th time that the Fashion Institute is putting up such an exhibit. This year, some 20 movies have been selected from 2010. A number of these movies have received Oscar nominations.

Among the costumes being showcased here are the ones from True Grit. Costume designer Mary Zophres designed the pieces. Apparently she conducted research for several months in order to get the costumes right. The film was based in Arkansas of the 1860s. Zophres used faux-ageing techniques in a bid to give the clothes a more worn-in feel.

Also on display are the clothes from Alice in Wonderland. This includes the costumes worn by Johnny Depp in his Mad Hatter avatar. The costumes for the film have been created by Colleen Atwood. Atwood is a two-time Academy Award winner. The musical Burlesque also makes an appearance here. The design credits go to Micheal Kaplan. Lindy Hemming’s retro costumes from Clash of the Titans will also be on display at the Fashion Institute. Sandy Powell’s designs for The Tempest are also being shown at the exhibit.

That’s four of this year’s five Oscar nominees for costume design. In all, there are about a hundred costumes being displayed at the Fashion Institute exhibition. The best thing is that the exhibit is open to all from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm right until 30 April.