Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)

A touch of 1950s Hollywood glamour comes to London with a stunning display of 40 outfits worn by Grace Kelly, the popular US film star who, in 1956, married Prince Rainier, the ruler of the House of Grimaldi—Monaco’s monarchical family.This exhibition traces the evolution of Kelly’s style from the 50s, when she mainly wore dresses by American designers, to the 60s and 70s when her wardrobe contained pieces by top French couturiers including Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Yves St Laurent. Kelly became a fashion plate shortly after making her big screen debut in the 1953 film “Mogambo”, for which she won a Golden Globe.Her appearance in films such as “The Country Girl” and Hitchcock classics including “Rear Window” and “To Catch a Thief” and on the cover of countless magazines helped to cement her reputation as the style doyenne known for her preference for classic streamlined pieces. “Her experience onscreen, working with famous costume designers such as Edith Head made her well-informed when it came to selecting her personal wardrobe,” said the show’s curator Jenny Lister, adding: “In some respects, this shows carries on where our 2006 French couture show left off [‘The Golden Age of French Couture: Paris and London, 1947-57’].” The exhibition is divided into three thematic sections: actress, private life and princess.The actress section contains film memorabilia such as posters, clips, costumes as well as red carpet outfits including the dress Kelly wore to the 1955 Oscars when she won best actress for “The Country Girl” (her Oscar is also on display).The next section contains outfits worn in her personal life including the McCalls Pattern Book dress Kelly wore when she first met Prince Rainier in 1955, and the two-piece, antique lace dress Kelly wore for her wedding ceremony.Outfits worn by Kelly throughout her marriage are also on display.The show is sponsored by Van Cleef & Arpels.Emily Sharpe