A costume can instantly telegraph a movie character's deeper motivations, the time they're living in, the world around them, and, quite often, the passing mood they happen to be in that day.
Outfits, in short, are integral parts of the story, whether they're an elaborately beaded gown or jeans and a t-shirt.
To celebrate these colorful and crucial elements to the story, the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising is presenting dozens of incredible looks from a lauded line-up of 2021 films, including several movies that have been nominated for Oscars.
The "Art of Costume Design in Film" is now on view at the downtown school's galleries, Tuesdays through Saturdays through June 4, 2022.
Sashay by some stellar snapshots now, and get a film-fabulous feel for what you'll see inside the exhibition.
12 photos
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A view of the “Art of Costume Design in Film” exhibition at the FIDM Museum, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, March 11, 2022. (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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"Coming 2 America" costumes by Ruth E. Carter. (L to R) Costumes worn by actors: KiKi Layne, Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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"Cruella" costumes by Jenny Beavan, Academy Award nominee for Costume Design. Costumes worn by actor: Emma Stone (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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"Black Widow" costumes by Jany Temime. (L to R) Costumes worn by actors: Olga Kurylenko, David Harbour, Scarlett Johansson (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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"Nightmare Alley" costumes by Luis Sequeira, Academy Award nominee for Costume Design. (L to R) Costumes worn by actors: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Toni Colette, Cate Blanchett, Bradley Cooper (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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"Dune" costumes by Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan, Academy Award nominees for Costume Design. (L to R) Costumes worn by actors: Charlotte Rampling, Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" costumes by Kym Barrett. (L to R) Costumes worn by actors: Simu Liu, Fala Chen, Tony Chiu-Wai Leung (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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"King Richard" costumes by Sharen Davis. (L to R) Costumes worn by actors: Demi Singleton, Will Smith, Saniyya Sidney (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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"The Harder They Fall" costumes by Antoinette Messam. (L to R) Costumes worn by actors: Regina King, Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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"West Side Story" costumes by Paul Tazewell, Academy Award nominee for Costume Design. (L to R) Costumes worn by actors: Ariana DeBose, Rita Moreno, Rachel Zegler, Ansel Elgort (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
"The Suicide Squad" costumes by Judianna Makovsky. (L to R) Costumes worn by actors: David Dastmalchian, Idris Elba, John Cena, Margot Robbie (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
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A view of the opening of the "Art of Costume Design in Film" exhibition, at the FIDM Museum, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, in Los Angeles, CA. The exhibition opened on March 15, and is on view Tuesdays through Saturdays. The show closes on June 4, 2022. (photo:Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
