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GRACE KELLY’S WEDDING DRESS IN PHILLY FOR 50th ANNIVERSARY SHOW
Three Fashion Exhibits & Tax-Free Clothing Shopping Make For A Great Spring Weekend
PHILADELPHIA, December 28, 2005 -In celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco, the Philadelphia Museum of Art will display Fit for a Princess: Grace Kelly’s Wedding Dress, featuring the bride’s dress, shoes, headpiece, veil and prayer book, April 1 through May 21, 2006. The installation of the Philadelphia native’s wedding accoutrements is one of three spring shows in the region that reflect changing tastes in fashion.
In addition to the Grace Kelly display, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is featuring an exhibition that details the evolution of women’s garments from the 1750s to the 1830s. Closing in April 2006, Fashion’s Favorites: From Rococo to Romantic invites visitors to explore the trends that defined the lives of women during this time period. Next to gowns, housedresses and corsets, the museum is showing examples of gloves, fans and garters from its own collection. (26th Street & the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 763-8100, www.philamuseum.org)
In the Philadelphia suburbs, Pennypacker Mills, the former home of early-20th-century Pennsylvania governor Samuel Pennypacker, will be exhibiting the outfits turn-of-the-century women wore to attend all sorts of dressy and casual occasions. What to Wear Where 1890-1915 displays the swimsuits, riding outfits, wedding attire, jewelry, shoes and accessories belonging to women of the period. The pieces – all from the museum’s collection – also include a ball gown created by internationally acclaimed French designer Charles Worth. The free exhibition runs from April 20, 2006 through January 31, 2007. (5 Haldeman Road, Schwenksville, (610) 287-9349, www.montcopa.org/historicsites)
While in town, fashionistas should be sure to take advantage of Pennsylvania’s tax-free shopping on clothing and shoes. Philadelphia offers some of nation’s most desirable shopping destinations, from the nation’s biggest retail mall to quaint historic districts lined with upscale and eclectic boutiques. Shoppers can find satisfy their retail urges at hotspots such as the King of Prussia Mall, Rittenhouse Row, South Street, Manayunk, Chestnut Hill and Peddler’s Village.
The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) builds the region’s economy and image through destination marketing to increase the number of visitors, the number of nights they stay and the number of things they do in the five-county region. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.
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CONTACT:
Caroline Bean, GPTMC
(215) 599-7433, caroline@gptmc.com