Photo by Hailey Stangebye
The grandiose halls of the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio are bustling with life as Randall Thropp weaves between dress forms laden with priceless gowns.
Thropp, the costume and prop archivist for Paramount Pictures, and his colleagues are preparing for a historic exhibition unlike any other.
Edith Head and Company, now on display, showcases the work of famed Paramount designer Edith Head. The exhibition runs through Aug. 14.
Photo by Hailey Stangebye
“This is the first time I’ve mounted this particular exhibit,” says Thropp, the curator. “It’s showcasing, in bits and pieces, people who came before Edith Head at Paramount and trained her, then people who worked with her at the time that she was at Paramount, then people who have come after and were inspired or influenced by what had come before.”
Head’s work has an enormous following. She holds the record for the longest career of any woman in Hollywood and she was nominated for 35 Oscars, winning eight of them, says Thropp. Those not directly familiar with her work may at least be familiar with her appearance and demeanor, which were the basis for superhero costume designer Edna Mode in the 2004 Pixar film The Incredibles.
“She was the first woman in Hollywood to brand herself, and that was something women did not do,” says Thropp.
In 2014, the Decorative Arts Center showcased an Edith Head exhibit, and it drew a record-breaking 11,267 visitors, says Carol Abbott, a member of the museum exhibition installation team.
This year’s exhibition has all new pieces. Moreover, it’s the debut for an interactive system of iPads that allow viewers to see the costumes in action.
“I thought, wouldn’t it be great if we could see these costumes in the movies they were actually in?” says Abbott. “Some of them go through acrobatics or mud puddles, and you would never know that if you couldn’t see the movie clip.”
Photo courtesy of Carol Abbott
Included in this exhibition are incredibly rare pieces, some of which have never been displayed publicly before.
“We have probably one of the most unique pieces in the (Paramount) collection, and it’s never been displayed before. Ever,” says Thropp. “From 1929, it’s Jeanette MacDonald’s wedding train from a film called The Love Parade.”
“It’s 21 feet of bling,” adds Barbara Hunzicker, exhibition chairwoman. “I don’t care how much money you have. I think you’d have a very hard time finding things so beautifully made of such exquisite fabrics. Everything is just the very best.”
Edith Head and Company showcases a genuine piece of Americana, Thropp says.
“They are pieces of American history,” says Thropp. “Entertainment history, yes, but they’re part of the fiber of America.”
Hailey Stangebye is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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