“Fashion is all about image, the entrance you make and who you impress. Women are fascinated by dress and costume and fancy special occasion dresses,” says Indianapolis Museum of Art curator Niloo Imami-Paydar.

All That Glitters: Fashion from the Collection is an exhibition on view through May 4th at the Indianapolis Museum of Art that features 20 decadent evening gowns from great European and American designers including Chanel, Givenchy, Guy Laroche, Halston, Blass and Norell. This exhibit features some of the greatest designers of all time. After World War II, women really wanted to indulge themselves in luxurious garments made of incredible fabrics adorned with everything from extravagant beading to silk lace to sequins. This museum collection draws upon that, since the entire collection features dresses embellished with beads, sequins, pearls and some with gold lamé and other scintillating fabrics. In the past, dressmaking was a true work of art. The pieces shown at the museum were all hand beaded – which truly makes each piece one-of-a-kind.

For hundreds and thousands of years and throughout many different cultures beads have been made out of glass, ivory, wood, shells, bone, stone, clay and other precious metals to show the wearer’s social status, wealth and/or power. Much the same way, women today carry a designer handbag to symbolize their status.

Some of the most spectacular dresses featured in the exhibit include the floor-length Halston- the minimalist master of cut, the Fontana sisters evening dress from the 50s – who dressed screen sirens like Sofia Loren and Coco Chanel’s evening suit from about 1965 – a gift to the museum from Ambassador George Geldman and Miss Margot Feldman. For more information visit www.ima-art.org.

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Halston - American Evening Ensemble, about 1980 The dress, belt and jacket of the ensemble are embroidered with bugle and pearl beads in a hexagonal pattern. Halston was particularly fond of this pattern and incorporated it in many of his creations. The simple sleeveless dress with deep scoop neckline is worn with a superbly constructed jacket. The jacket is made from a single piece of fabric in a circular format with batwing sleeves. The sleeves circle the front and are gathered at the shoulders.	Norman Norrell –American Norell was the first American fashion designer to have his name on a dress label. Simple, elegant and well-made clothes that would last and remain fashionable for many years became the hallmark of Norman Norell. This elegant ensemble embodies everything that Norell was about. The lampshade-shaped top, which is elegantly embroidered all over the bugle beads, is edged with mink. A simple, straight-cut long skirt completes the outfit. This silhouette was made popular around 1910 and was again introduced in the 1930s.
Coco Chanel - French Evening Suit, about 1965 This spectacular ensemble is made of metallic threads, not only in gold and silver, but also in pastel shades of blue, lavender, ochre and white in a floral pattern. The suit is an example of Chanel’s trademark two-piece and three-piece suits. She borrowed the concept for the suits from the male wardrobe, but tailored them in luxurious, feminine fabrics. This suit has a very fitted look, which was an unusual silhouette for Chanel. The edges of the jacket and top of the patch pockets are trimmed with an elaborate braid, which is composed of gold and yellow sequins encased in metallic gold mesh and clear mesh. The buttons are the finest type, which adorned only Chanel’s most expensive made-to-order garments. They display fleurettes surrounded by filigree work and are finished with brass rope-twist trim over a polished steel plate, which shines through the filigree work.	Fontana – Italian Ball Gown, early 1950s The house of Fontana was famous for designing lavish evening gowns and lace wedding dresses. The Fontana sisters were also jewelry artists and incorporated the designs of their costume jewelry in their fashion line. This grand and very showy silk velvet ball gown is hand-embroidered. The style of the gown, with its attached long panels suspended from the shoulders, was influenced by 18th- century French and English court dresses.