Supreme's style at the V&A
The Supremes star Mary Wilson swept into
London's Victoria and Albert Museum Monday to launch "The Story of The
Supremes, From the Mary Wilson Collection," an exhibition of 50 gowns from
the Motown group's performance history, taken from her own archive. The
exhibit, which runs through Oct. 19, includes examples of the group's
glittering, sequined gowns from the Sixties, including a set of three orange
and yellow beaded, psychedelic-print butterfly dresses with sweeping chiffon sleeves,
and plush black velvet Bob Mackie dresses with glass jewels embroidered around
the deep necklines. "The heaviest dresses we had were 35 pounds
each," remembered Wilson
with a laugh. "We were typical women, buying clothes all the time."
These ornate gowns contrast with a simple yellow sweatshirt printed with the
words "Love Child," which Diana Ross wore on the cover of the group's
socially conscious single of the same name.