In this section we explore fashion’s power to amplify. It can magnify quiet into a crescendo through a fashioned human body that is both visible and audible. For this reason, fashion and its sounds are vital to performance. Dress can turn a dance into a song when accessorized with metal belts and bells. It can turn a song into a performance that echoes in the memories of the audience, and inspire impersonators hoping for a glimmer of that shine. Together, performance and fashion create ephemeral moments and sustain lasting cultures. Together they can resound the iconic.
Elvis Now
American, date unknown
Elvis Costume
White polyester with star studs and rhinestones
Acquired by the Cornell Fashion and Textile Collection
CF+TC #2019.14.001
When Elvis Presley, King of Rock and Roll, made history as the first satellite-broadcasted solo artist in 1973, he wore a white bell-bottom jumpsuit embellished with a bald eagle of red, gold, and blue studs designed by Bill Belew. This costume became synonymous with this groundbreaking “Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite” event and has been nicknamed the “Aloha Suit” and today’s reproductions–like the one on display–are typically worn by Elvis impersonators. It represents the enduring impact of Elvis as a pop culture icon who rebelled against gendered fashion norms of the time. Now mass-produced, this gender-fluid take on menswear defies traditional masculinity. Can you hear his soulful and rich dynamics when you see this jumpsuit?
American, 2011
Taylor Swift Graphic T-Shirt
Cotton
Worn & donated by Rachel Doran
CF+TC
This T-shirt captures the moment of Taylor Swift’s 2011-12 “Speak Now” tour following the release of her third studio album in 2010. Cornell alum Rachel Doran, who decided to donate the shirt to the Collection, and which was later done in her memory by her mother, spoke about the potential for musical souvenirs like this to capture not just the “dated” present of an initially momentous musical event, such as the pre-Billboard-smashing younger artist’s dancing around in her gold mini dress, but to serve as reminders of an uncapturable musical experience and its snapshot of a specific phase of one’s musical taste. While some musical moments, albums, and artists stay decidedly in the past, some continually resound and live on: today, with “Taylor’s Version” of the same album, which weaves past and present and seeks to preserve while renewing.
Band T-Shirts
100% cotton
On loan from Michael Cook, Dyese Matthews, Kofi Acree and from CF+TC
Oaxaca, Mexico, unknown date
White Huipil Textile
Cotton
Donated in memory of Lilian Samuelson
CF+TC #2011.07.003
This woven textile from Oaxaca is associated with the Huipil, or the most common and versatile item of traditional clothing worn by Indigenous women of all identities from central Mexico and Central America. This piece features a geometric lace weave pattern as well as a bird symbol, and the white color suggests that it was intended as part of a wedding gown. As such, its visual geometric patterns would have found auditive analogy with the music of the Oaxaca wedding ceremony, which involves a half-hour introductory toast, or jarabe, danced by elders; lively mariachi band music; a brindis, or celebratory toast; the waltz, and the snake dance. From afar, the groups of five horizontal lines on this piece might even evoke the musical five-line staff and its power to inscribe live performance into lasting text. Notably, Mayan composer and artist Aurora Nohemí Chaj was inspired by huipils such as this to literally transcribe textile geometry into actual music, such as in her song “Ch’umil.”
India
Indian Classical Dance Outfit
Woven yellow top, skirt, and balloon pants with purple, blue, green, and yellow ikat details.
CF+TC #2021.51.004abcd
Kapila Vatsyayan, a leading scholar on Indian dance, noted, “The Indian dancer’s preoccupation is not so much with space as with time, and the dancer is constantly trying to achieve the perfect pose, which will convey a sense of timelessness.” The Odissi dance form has ancient roots, though constantly reanimates Hindu myths, beliefs, and values through dynamic bodies of the present. The poses mimic those of temple statues, allowing dancers to bring the static artform to life. In their movement, the dancer was also a musician as the bells on the anklets and silver disks on the belt added to the rhythm of the song. This costume was donated by Dipali Sudan, who was a passionate and seasoned dancer in multiple Indian dance forms, including Odissi, Manipuri, and Bharat dancing. She taught dance at Cornell, enabling Odissi dance to keep echoing in the movement of new dancers.
Also in this Costume:
India
Indian Choker
Royal blue velvet ribbon choker necklace with silver chain detail at center.
CF+TC #2021.51.008
India
Indian Long Necklace
Navy blue yarn necklace with wrapped silver thread and four cylindrical silver pendants
CF+TC #2021.51.010
India
Indian Belt
Black yarn belt alternating with silver disks attached to silver rings and a bottom tier of disks with dangling silver pendants.
CF+TC #2021.51.007
Indian Anklets
Leather anklets with three rows of metal bells
CF+TC #2021.51.006ab