An exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, called “Dress Up,” explores how jewelry and fashion can be powerful vehicles for self-expression. As visitors take in the dozens of storied pieces on display, they’ll find a few glittering garments worn by the Boston-born “Queen of Disco.”
The show’s gallery is filled with lanky, glamorously-adorned mannequins, but MFA curator theo tyson was especially excited to introduce the one wearing a shimmering, beige dress adorned with red sequins.
“This is one of my absolute favorites — even though I know you’re not supposed to have favorites in a show like this,” tyson said. “But it’s from the collection of Donna Summer. It’s a pre-fall 2010 Valentino, and what’s really special about this is she wore it for a performance of Art on Ice in Switzerland in 2011.”
Art on Ice is a star-studded, annual figure skating gala. While researching the dress’s backstory, tyson found footage and a photo from the event that helped confirm this key part of its history.
As for the dress’s design, it’s tea-length, A-line form is cinched at the waist. A mass of crimson sequins covers the bodice, then fall in drifts — almost like snowflakes — along the tulle skirt’s length. tyson hopes visitors will imagine its layered, sparkling trim brushing Summer’s calves while she performed on stage in Switzerland. “As she was moving and dancing, those puddles of red sequins would flounce and play in the light,” tyson said.
The dress also features a novel customization. tyson said the exhibition’s design team made sure its display would give visitors a clear view of the small microphone pouch sewn into its back.
The curator spotted Summer’s garment at Christie’s auction house, and recalled recognizing its potential for future exhibitions. The museum acquired the dress — along with two others and two pairs of her shoes — in October of 2023.
“We’re at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Donna Summer is a Boston girl,” tyson said. “Mission Hill is literally a stone’s throw away from the museum, and it’s our privilege and our honor to be able to invite this legacy into the museum by adding these pieces to our collection.”
Summer was born LaDonna Adrian Gaines on December 31, 1948. She skyrocketed to international fame at the height of the disco era in the 1970s. Now tyson is thrilled Summer’s dresses will help the museum share this cultural icon’s story.
“I’m not going to start quoting her songs, but she worked hard,” the curator said with admiration. “She worked really, really hard to live her dream and to love her family. She worked hard to come from Mission Hill — she had to leave, but then was able to come back in 1983 and graduate from her high school. She worked hard, not just for the money, but for her joy, and for all of us. She shared it exponentially.”
Summer donned the beige Valentino one year before she died of lung cancer in 2012. For tyson, the dress embodies the pioneer’s effusive spirit and profound impact on music. “You can see Donna Summer’s influence on any pop divas’ performance today.”
The curator’s favorite Summer song is her 1975 breakout hit, “Love to Love You Baby.” But recently, while flipping through some vinyl records at home, tyson re-discovered another classic. “I remember listening to ‘Bad Girls’ growing up, so hopefully we’re also introducing her to a completely new generation of fashion lovers, music lovers, lovers of humanity and life — as she was.”
The exhibition features one more dress from Summer’s collection — a full-length, gold gown — and a pair of silver, bejeweled Manolo Blahnik shoes. tyson hopes to find out when and where the “Queen of Disco” wore them, too.
“Her being a Bostonian hopefully invites some folks to do their own research,” tyson said. “So maybe I’ll get a phone call or email one day from someone that remembers seeing her perform in this dress or those shoes. That’s one of the amazing things about not just acquiring something like this, but also being able to put it on view.”
“Dress Up” is on view at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston through Sept. 2.
This segment aired on May 8, 2024.