Whitney
Dress worn by Whitney Houston at Grammy Awards, 1994
Designed by Marc Bouwer
Stretch jersey, rhinestones, beads
Perhaps the definitive pop vocalist, Houston came from a line of inimitable singers including her mother Cissy Houston and cousins Leontyne Price and Dionne Warwick. Her technique and inventiveness, mixing gospel influences with dance pop melodies and soaring ballads proved an unbeatable mix. Houston wore this Marc Bouwer dress the night she won three Grammys, including Record of the Year for 'I Will Always Love You'. Bouwer and Houston enjoyed a long collaborative relationship, and he designed her stage and red carpet looks for over two decades.*
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
Whitney
Dress worn by Whitney Houston at Grammy Awards, 1994
Designed by Marc Bouwer
Stretch jersey, rhinestones, beads
Perhaps the definitive pop vocalist, Houston came from a line of inimitable singers including her mother Cissy Houston and cousins Leontyne Price and Dionne Warwick. Her technique and inventiveness, mixing gospel influences with dance pop melodies and soaring ballads proved an unbeatable mix. Houston wore this Marc Bouwer dress the night she won three Grammys, including Record of the Year for 'I Will Always Love You'. Bouwer and Houston enjoyed a long collaborative relationship, and he designed her stage and red carpet looks for over two decades.*
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