MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON, PRESENTS 'SCAASI: AMERICAN COUTURIER'

ARNOLD SCAASI HAS DRESSED THEM ALL, FROM BROADWAY ACTRESSES AND HOLLYWOOD STARS TO THE LADIES WHO LUNCH AND AMERICA'S FIRST LADIES. EPITOMIZING THE 'LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS', HIS CUSTOM-MADE CLOTHING EVOKES THE HEIGHT OF ELEGANCE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP FROM THE LATE 1950s TO THE PRESENT. IN CELEBRATION OF THE ACCLAIMED FASHION DESIGNER AND HIS RECENT GIFTS TO THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON (MFA), OF MORE THAN 100 OUTFITS (TO COMPLEMENT THE MFAs ACQUISITION OF HIS ARCHIVE), THE MUSEUM PRESENTS 'SCAASI: AMERICAN COUTURIER', FROM 25.SEPTEMBER THROUGH 11.JUNE.2011, IN THE LORING GALLERY. THE EXHIBITION SHOWCASES 28 OF SCAASI'S FABULOUS OUTFITS AND EXPLORE HIS PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH FOUR WOMEN FROM AMONG HIS EXTENSIVE CLIENTELE, INCLUDING BARBRA STREISAND, FOR WHOM HE DESIGNED THE SEEMINGLY TRANSPARENT BLACK TULLE PANTS ENSEMBLE THAT SHE WORE WHEN ACCEPTING HER 1969 OSCAR FOR FUNNY GIRL. THE ENSEMBLE, NOW PART OF THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION, IS DISPLAYED, ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL OUTFITS CREATED FOR THE ACTRESS. SCAASI'S RICHLY TAILORED SUITS, COCKTAIL DRESSES AND LAVISH EVENING GOWNS WERE STATEMENT PIECES, OFTEN MADE FOR WOMEN WITH BIG PERSONALITIES WHO LIVES GRAND LIVES, SUCH AS CELEBRITIES ELIZABETH TAYLOR, MARY TYLER MOORE, SOPHIA LOREN AND BARBRA WALTERS, AND SOCIALITES BROOKE ASTOR, AUSTINE HEARST, EVELYN LAUDER, IVANA TRUMP AND GAYFRYD STEINBERG. IN ADDITION, HE CREATED BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES FOR WOMEN WHO WERE SUDDENLY THROWN ONTO THE WORLD STAGE, FIRST LADIES BARBRA BUSH, HILLARY CLINTON AND LAURA BUSH, WHOSE ELEGANT SCAASI GOWNS HELPED THEM ESTABLISH A STRONG PUBLIC IMAGE. BORN ARNOLD ISAACS ON 8.MAY.1930, THE MONTREAL NATIVE STUDIED AT THE PRESTIGIOUS COTNOIR-CAPPONI SCHOOL OF DESIGN IN MONTREAL AND THE CHAMBRE SYNDICALE DE LA HAUTE COUTURE PARISIENNE IN PARIS, WHERE HE APPRENTICED AT THE HOUSE OF PAQUIN BEFORE MOVING TO NEW YORK CITY TO WORK WITH RENOWNED DESIGNER CHARLES JAMES. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, 'ISAACS' WAS TURNED BACKWARDS AND BECAME SCAASI. HE GAINED RECOGNITION FOR HIS DESIGNS, AND IN 1955, THE DECEMBER COVER OF VOGUE PICTURED A COAT HE DESIGNED FOR DRESSMAKER CASUALS, CREATING THE BUZZ THAT HELPED SCAASI LAUNCH HIS READY-TO-WEAR LINE THE FOLLOWING YEAR. IN 1958, THE DESIGNER WON THE PRESTIGIOUS COTY FASHION CRITICS AWARD AND HIS SUCCESS WAS ASSURED. IN 1964, HE OPENED HIS COUTURE SALON.