Spectacular Showgirl Costume Designs Sparkle
By Staff of Nevada Humanities
Although the great fishnet and feather production shows are a thing of the past, our collections of colorful and elegant showgirl costume designs are just one of the many unique ways that the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Special Collections and Archives documents the history of Las Vegas entertainment. We hope that the designs on display in the gallery provide a small glimpse into the glamorous world of the Las Vegas showgirl, and the minds of creative designers such as Jerry Jackson, Pete Menefee, and Bill Campbell.
- Su Kim Chung, Head of Special Collections Public Services, University Libraries
Illustration by Jerry Jackson, Nightlife 1994 Finale.
Visitors to the Nevada Humanities Program Gallery in Las Vegas this month will get behind-the-curtain views of rare drawings and designs created for an icon of Las Vegas—the showgirl. On display until November 22, 2023, Icon of Las Vegas, the Spectacular Showgirl: Showgirl Costume Designs from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives highlights an array of fashion and costume designers who share their vision in drawings that brought the spectacle of the Las Vegas showgirl to life on the stage. The collection of costume drawings dates back to the heyday of the 1960s - 1970s-era Las Vegas showgirl and are sparkling design gems that are rarely seen on display. The collection of drawings is presented in partnership with the University of Nevada Las Vegas, University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives.
The Program Gallery is also hosting an exhibition reception on November 16, 2023, from 5 - 8 pm PT. Don’t miss the discussion and reading taking place at 6 pm PT from the 2023 Las Vegas Writes anthology Feather Shows: Las Vegas Writers on Film, TV, and Other Spectacles, featuring authors Angela M. Brommel, Jenessa Kenway, and Nancy Wright Hardy. Each author has a story that swirls around the experiences of women in the glittering fabric that is Las Vegas. Learn more about this event here.
Artwork credits left to right: Illustration by Nolan Miller, Series III. Professional work in the United States: show production materials, revues, concerts, and theater production materials; Illustration by Bill Campbell, Almost Paradise revue at the Desert Inn Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1963; Illustration by Pete Menefee, Costume design for Hallelujah Hollywood! an MGM Grand Hotel production, 1974; Illustration by Jerry Jackson, Series II. Folies-Bergere production papers, designs, and photographs 17th Edition: The Best of the Folies-Bergere—2002 costume revisions: costume design drawings, photographs of costume pieces, correspondence, and notes—La Vedette Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada.