Before there was Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. And before there was Diana, Princess of Wales. Even before that, there was Princess Grace of Monaco.
She was the young woman who captured the imagination of a nation, and yes, this very region as she bounded from fetching model to Hollywood sensation to fairy tale princess, all by the age of 28. Hers is a story of a young woman, with deep Philadelphia roots, who moved effortlessly from filmdom to kingdom.
Grace Kelly’s story of being rich to royalty is told through fashion, still photos, letters and home movies at the James Michener Museum in Doylestown, now through Jan. 26, 2014 in “From Philadelphia to Monaco: Grace Kelly — Beyond the Icon.”
But an underlying message of this woman’s incredible compassion for the poor and underprivileged is also told.
Although generations removed, her fame still shines brightly with a regional luster and a Philadelphian pride, evident at the Michener Museum where a special exhibit both lifts the veil for younger generations and brings back a flood of warm memories for those who remember her reign.
You could call the Michener exhibit “Project Grace,” as the presentation showcases so many of dresses once worn by “Her Serene Highess” on the big screen, at her two weddings (one civil, one churched) and at the many functions she attended as a beloved monarch of Monaco.
Always conscious of the role fashion plays since her days as a teen model, it is evident that Princess Grace shared her celebrity with the era’s designers including Coco Chanel, Yves St. Laurent and Givenchy.
In her earlier life, she was Grace Kelly, the local beauty who turned heads as a rising screen star. Working for MGM, she was guided by director Alfred Hitchcock and young Grace would be paired with some of the biggest screen names of the 1950s including Jimmy Stewart, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and William Holden.
The Michener exhibit is the only venue in America for this exhibition, drawing from Grace Kelly’s personal objects housed in the archives of the Palace of Monaco.
The exhibition is produced by the Grimaldi Forum Monaco and the McCord Museum, based on a display at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
Roots and her route
The exhibit remembers Grace as a woman of style, substance, great beauty and great compassion. It traces her life from her upbringing in the East Falls neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia and summers at the family home in Ocean City, N.J., to the palace in Monaco. Kelly graduated from Stevens School in Germantown, where her yearbook predicted that she would someday “become a stage and screen star,” according to biography.com.
The exhibit hardly misses a step. “We are dedicating three of our galleries to this major exhibition, and will organize a companion exhibition about the Bucks County Playhouse, where Grace made her stage debut,” said Michener Director & CEO Lisa Tremper Hanover. “Throughout the years, interest in Grace — her talent, her radiance, her individuality and her dignity — has never waned. Her hometown of Philadelphia is eager to honor this spirit.”
Grace Kelly once said, “Fairy tales tell imaginary stories. Me, I’m a living person. I exist. If the story of my life as a real woman were to be told one day, people would at last discover the real being that I am.” And that is exactly what visitors will see.
A career and a choice
As a muse of director Hitchcock, Grace was winner of a best actress Oscar for her performance in “The Country Girl.” She also starred in “Rear Window,” “High Society” and several other films.
But is was her April 18, 1956, marriage to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, that made her the focus of the world’s attention and fascination throughout the rest of her life.
This showing traces the unique path Grace Kelly took from Philadelphia to Monaco, inviting viewers to discover the life of Grace Kelly (1929-1982) beyond the fairy tale. This exhibition brings visitors up close to the stage and screen legend, fashion icon, princess, United Nations advocate for children, and international spokesperson for arts and culture.
Drawing from Grace Kelly’s personal objects from the archives of the Palace of Monaco and the Grimaldi Forum, the exhibition illustrates her life through letters, photographs, awards, couture fashion and other personal artifacts, as well as film clips, playbills, home movies and souvenirs from her acting career.
Grace: The fashion plate
The exhibit explores the Grace Kelly Look, which according to a prepared release from the museum, set a new standard for timeless elegance and glamour — continuing to influence fashion today.
Grace Kelly’s iconic style will be celebrated through a rare collection of garments from her personal wardrobe, including dresses by Dior, Chanel, YSL, Lanvin, Givenchy, Oleg Cassini, and Balenciaga.
Pieces from Kelly’s film career include designs by renowned costume designers Edith Head and Helen Rose, worn in films including “To Catch a Thief,” “High Society,” “Mogambo,” and “The Swan.”
Kelly’s 1955 Oscar acceptance dress, designed by Edith Head, is also on display as well as her civil wedding dress. Her church wedding dress, which was donated by her family to the Philadelphia Museum of Art just six months after her wedding, is oddly not part of the exhibit.
Remarkably, her wedding dress and wedding suit were both designed and made by MGM designers as a gift, demonstrating the studio’s affection for her and what she had done for MGM.
Also of interest to visitors is the brown leather Hermes “Kelly Bag” which is the centerpiece of a collection of bags, hats, shoes, and gloves at the museum.
Due to the popularity of the exhibit, the Michener is using a timed ticket entry system for non-members. Museum members enjoy priority entry and do not need timed tickets. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended, and available only at www.MichenerArtMuseum.org or by calling 800-595-4849. Advance tickets will not be sold at the museum.
Kathleen McSherry, Michener’s director of marketing, recommended visitors come during weekday mornings when the exhibit is not so crowded.
IF YOU GO: The James A. Michener Art Museum is located at 138 South Pine St., Doylestown. The museum will be open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday noon-5 p.m. and Thursday evening until 8:30 p.m. for the duration of the exhibition. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Tickets include admission to all the museum galleries and are free for members and children under 6; adults $18; seniors $17; college students with valid ID $16; ages 6-18 $8. For more information, visit www.MichenerArtMuseum.org or call 215-340-9800.
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