By D23 Team
The costuming of Disney characters has dazzled us for years, and now you have a chance to see some of the most stunning pieces up close. The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop) today announced that the exhibit Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume will now open June 5, and you can purchase tickets here. The exhibition was previously announced to open in October of 2020. Through more than 70 original items, including ball gowns, sorcerers’ capes, military uniforms, tiaras, and, of course, glass slippers, the exhibition immerses visitors into the world of Disney and shows how our understanding of its iconic characters is shaped through the artistry and creativity of its costumes.
“In film, television, and theater, costuming is a tremendously powerful tool for storytelling and character development,” said MoPOP Executive Director Alexis Lee. “Disney in particular is a master of the art and sets a standard for using wardrobe as a device for creative expression.”
The exhibit, which guests were first able to experience at D23 Expo 2019, includes costumes from some of Hollywood’s preeminent designers, past and present, including Academy Award® winners Colleen Atwood, Sandy Powell, and Tony Walton, as well as Emmy® winner Ellen Mirojnick and Emmy® nominees Eduardo Castro and Penny Rose.
Visitors will experience “Cinderella’s Workshop,” a gallery featuring the beloved fairy-tale character’s dresses from her numerous Disney incarnations, including 1997’s Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella; 2014’s Into the Woods; the 2015 live-action reimagining of the animated masterpiece Cinderella; and the ABC hit series Once Upon a Time.
The main gallery will be divided into three sections: “Disney Heroes,” “Disney Villains,” and “Spaces Between,” reserved for the antiheroes whose fascinating journeys make them among Disney’s most complex characters. There will also be interactive elements and plenty of chances for photo ops.
Among the costumes included in the “Disney Heroes” section are Belle’s village dress and ballgown from 2017’s Beauty and the Beast; Giselle and Prince Edward’s costumes from Enchanted; and two iconic Mary Poppins “traveling dresses”: one from the 1964 original film and the other from 2019’s Mary Poppins Returns. “Disney Villains” ensembles include the trio of wonderfully wicked witches from 1993’s Hocus Pocus, the duo of dresses worn by the stepsisters in 2015’s Cinderella, and the dress worn by the incomparable Bette Davis in 1978’s Return from Witch Mountain. And “Spaces Between” includes Maleficent’s gown from the 2014 film, as well as the Evil Queen and Hook’s costumes from Once Upon a Time.
MoPOP is the first museum to show the exhibition, which premiered at 2019’s D23 Expo. More information on the exhibition will be announced later in the year.
