You don’t have to be at the Academy Awards® this weekend to witness Hollywood up close, instead, one can simply head to downtown Los Angeles to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising! Beyond the Marquee’s own Susan Kemp was recently on hand for the Opening Night VIP Gala at the FIDM Museum for the debut of the 20th Anniversary Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition. Celebrating the art and industry of costume designers, this exhibition showcases more than 100 costumes from twenty films released in 2011. This unique event gives you a chance to see the costumes worn by some of your favorite stars in some of your favorite movies up close and personal.

The Artist costumes by Mark Bridges, 2012 Academy Award® Nominee for Best Costume Design.

The exhibition includes selected costumes from all five 2011 Academy Award® Nominees for Costume Design: W/E, Hugo, Jane Eyre, The Artist, and Anonymous. Highlighted in the exhibition is the previous year’s Academy Award® winner for Costume Design, Alice in Wonderland. A gown from Alice in Wonderland greets visitors as they enter the galleries. Also on display are costumes from Cowboys and Aliens, THOR, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, The Artist, HUGO, Captain America, The Immortals, the Help and more! To see some of these costumes just a few couple feet from you is overly impressive when you realize the details and intricacies of everything from fabrics, stitching, color palettes and accessories that sometimes are overlooked even when viewed on the big screen.

W.E. costumes by Arianne Phillips, 2012 Academy Award® Nominee for Best Costume Design.

On hand at the evenings ceremonies were this year’s nominated costume designer Arianne Phillips who talked about her work on the film “W/E” and FIDM alumni Mona May who gave us a very energetic recap of her time designing the wardrobe for the movie “Zookeeper“. We spoke to them as well as former Project Runway contestant and American Fashion Designer Nick Verreos who gave Susan the full run down on this years exhibition.

Hugo costumes by Sandy Powell, 2012 Academy Award® Nominee for Best Costume Design.

The museum exhibit also showcases classic film costumes from the FIDM Museum collection and the Department of Recreation and Parks, City of Los Angeles, Historic Hollywood Collection. Some of these same costumes were featured during the first Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition in 1993.

WHEN: Exhibition HoursFebruary 14–April 28, 2012, 10am–5pm, Tuesday through Saturday

And as FIDM spokesperson Nick Verreos like’s to emphasize, Admission is FREE to the Public!!!

the 84th Annual Academy Awards, LIVE, Sunday February 26th