Diva has an interesting history beyond being a cruel label and an iconic tune by Beyoncé. I had the privilege of being exposed to some Divas from an early age; Mariah’s whistle tones, Whitney’s Star Spangled Banner and Naomi in… all her glory. As a fan of Divas, I had high expectations of the V&A Diva exhibition. I wanted a presentation worthy of my favourite stars and to feel like a diva by proxy.
Entering the exhibit, I was ready to consume every piece of fashion, copy and media possible. The headset gets a little irritating, but pure fascination for the tech of it all will distract from the pinching. The darkness of the ground floor is almost reflective of the negative connotation associated with being a diva and the light leading up the stairs feels glamorous and fierce as its changed to a term of honour and respect. Luckily it wasn’t too busy when I arrived, but I will continue to be shocked at certain demographics that lack awareness. Patience is truly a virtue.
Odes to the operatic songbirds, movie stars and singers fill every display. Pay your respects to the Diva that started it all and travel through the decades with the most important starlets that continued and evolved the diva legacy. There is a poignant tribute to Black Trailblazers who used their diva-dom in pursuit of justice and equal rights. I still get chills thinking of Strange Fruit, it’s haunting and drives the impact. Outfits and memorabilia alongside short clips give every honoured diva a chance to shine.
The biggest disappointments basically amounted to the fact that the sheer diva-ness of an individual was not always equal to the love shown in the exhibit. Prepare to grasp your pearls in shock at the limited appreciation shown to Janet, Madonna and diva promoter herself, Beyoncé. While it was magical to see gender-bending and male icons in the mix (Lil Nas X, Freddie Mercury) and emerging diva’s, a little more respect to the pioneers of diva-dom would’ve made more sense in this exhibit. I had previously visited the V&A for the Male Fashion exhibit, which took up a much larger space comparatively and perhaps says everything.
The absolute stand out was the celebration of the muses of Bob Mackie. Iconic pieces from Cher and Tina Turner will leave you in awe. The space was designed fabulously and you have to stand in admiration. The looks are instantly recognisable and there’s no doubt who wore what. It will draw memories from the back of your mind that you didn’t even realise you had. Fashion fans run! You won’t want to miss this. I left reeling that Mackie hasn’t been honoured with his own Met Gala theme. The legend that he is!
I’ll leave you with my favourite phrase that the copywriters deserve extra flowers for; “raising her eyes heavenwards”. What a line. Don’t be surprised when I use this in my debut novel.
Comments