“I was literally one of those girls who made her own Barbie doll outfits,” she notes. “I’ve totally always loved it.”
But it wasn’t until her first job — working with legendary costume designer Bob Mackie for musical star Mitzi Gaynor — that Feder realized her true love wasn’t fashion design but costume design.
3 comments:
I really enjoy articles like this that provide a history and background to something. For hundreds of years, audiences have enjoyed shows on stage and Vegas is no exception. The glitz and glamor of it all as captured in these items is a testament to the designers, dancers, actors, and so forth who brought these shows to life. Their preservation is also a preservation of our history and culture. The video attached to the article is really cool and it was fun to learn that those who used to wear those costumes still remember the choreography for that particular item. It was also interesting to learn that these showgirl (and boy) costumes could cost upwards of $5000 a piece. That was something that I was not familiar with, nor was I aware that the real people who settled Vegas where all of those performers. It was something that I never really thought about until I read this article. It is fascinating to read about the history of a place and its people.
This is a really interesting crossover between theatre and art and museum curation. I love that there are places that are preserving the history, and thus the culture that comes with it, of the theatre from Las Vegas's past. Like Joshua said, it is interesting and heartwarming to hear that the performers that wore these costumes begin to remember the dance moves that came with those beautiful cloths when they see them in the museum. In a way, this museum also serves as a memory reel for all those who were once show girls and boys in Vegas. Also, the hats that Feder shows off in the video are beautiful. I cannot imagine having to dance with that giant feather fanned headpiece on – these girls were skilled. One of my best friends loves theatre, but also love art history and is looking to become a museum curator, and it is cool that she could still continue to work with her love of theatre, while also sticking by her love for art and history.
This is so cool!! Las Vegas is an epicenter for big, loud, and flashy entertainment, and it has been for a long time. That entertainment and the style of it has gone through many changes, shifts, and twists and turns throughout the decades, always staying on top of what its audience is craving. Though that is true, there is also tons of tradition that is still alive in Las Vegas. The tradition blends with all the new stuff to create something very singularly special to this place. I am really glad that there are ways that this tradition is being preserved in this way, so that people can remember what entertainment was, how it has changed, and how it is similar and not similar to entertainment in Las Vegas today. For example, there are many drag queens who work in Las Vegas. Drag is something that people have always wanted to see, but it is becoming more and more present in pop culture today, with Rupaul’s Drag Race and queens sharing their talents on Instagram and Youtube. Some of the queens in Vegas perform as Vegas showgirls, with the huge headdresses and tiny monokinis made from strings of beads. It’s always exciting to see something old mixing with something new.
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