Mae West
Costume from I'm No Angel, 1933
Designed by Travis Banton
Silk satin
Written by Mae West, I'm No Angel was her biggest box office hit, and one of a handful of her movies to escape being heavily censored, as it was released before the 1934 Hays Code, a set of 'moral guidelines' for movies. West's portrayal of sexually empowered characters reframed desire and sex appeal as an expression of independence, rather than a source of shame or embarrassment.*
From the exhibition
DIVA
(June 2023 to April 2024)
DIVA celebrated the power and creativity of iconic performers, exploring and redefining the role of 'diva' and how this has been subverted or embraced over time across opera, stage, popular music, and film.
In the 16th century, as the female performer emerged from the all-male actor troupes, so did the diva. An Italian word commonly used since the 14th century to describe goddesses or deities, 'diva' became a fitting description for exceptional female performers whose divine talents made them appear other-worldly.
[*Victoria & Albert Museum]
Taken in the V&A
Mae West
Costume from I'm No Angel, 1933
Designed by Travis Banton
Silk satin
Written by Mae West, I'm No Angel was her biggest box office hit, and one of a handful of her movies to escape being heavily censored, as it was released before the 1934 Hays Code, a set of 'moral guidelines' for movies. West's portrayal of sexually empowered characters reframed desire and sex appeal as an expression of independence, rather than a source of shame or embarrassment.*
From the exhibition
DIVA
(June 2023 to April 2024)
DIVA celebrated the power and creativity of iconic performers, exploring and redefining the role of 'diva' and how this has been subverted or embraced over time across opera, stage, popular music, and film.
In the 16th century, as the female performer emerged from the all-male actor troupes, so did the diva. An Italian word commonly used since the 14th century to describe goddesses or deities, 'diva' became a fitting description for exceptional female performers whose divine talents made them appear other-worldly.
[*Victoria & Albert Museum]
Taken in the V&A