André Leon Talley’s One-of-a-Kind Couture Gowns Exhibition

The latest and hottest new town to hit the fashion map is Savannah, Georgia and fashionistaʼs from everywhere are ﬂocking to the SCAD Museum to experience the all the fashion forward southern charm that this city has to offer. Designed in an old, abandoned, antebellum railroad station from 1850, the newly renovated Savannah College of Art and Design Museum is far from the usual. The exciting, and impressively modern space boasts galleries, classrooms, a 250-seat theater, and a 12-foot-long orientation touch pad. However, these innovative additions are not the reason why fashionistas from all over are lining up to get a taste of the museum. Everyone is
migrating south to catch a glance into the Andre Leon Talley Gallery, which from October 29th to February 26th is exhibiting one-of-a-kind couture from top designers including Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta and Diane Von Furstenburg.

Andre Leon Talley, who is on the Board of Trustees at SCAD and is an honorary recipient of a Doctorate in Humanities from the college, is the curator of his namesake exhibit at the museum. The contributing editor at Vogue and judge for Americaʼs Next Top Model, pulled couture to display from 12 designers, who are all winners of his Andre Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor that is presented at the SCAD student fashion show. He naturally collected an impressive amount of couture, gathering donations for the exhibit from some of his closest friends. Talley managed to grab onto some normally untouchable couture designers including: an Oscar de la Renta black strapless number that Karlie Kloss modeled on the runway and Penelope Cruz wore and the spidery,gothic and breathtaking Zac Posen masterpiece that Christina Ricci donned to the“Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” Costume Institute Gala.

The gallery was inspired by the powder room scene in the movie The Women, and the dresses were set to recreate the moment in a post modern way. The showroom is simple with white walls, light wood ﬂooring and minimalistic decor, molding the ideal environment that keeps the focus on the couture. Each glorious dress is beautifully displayed to show off the intricate detailing that goes into creating these works of art. Large frameless mirrors are placed behind each dress, elegantly showcasing the pieces so that onlookers can view every angle of its beauty and glamour. It is a truly remarkable space that creates an up close and personal experience for fashion lovers to enjoy one-of-a-king show stopping couture from some of the most famous and creative designers around.

All Photos by Laura Beth Cox @Laura Beth Cox Photography

A Student of Photography at SCAD
www.laurabethcox.com