Yesterday, I went to see the annual “Art of Motion Picture Costume Design“ exhibition at FIDM, which showcases costumes from many of the year’s films, including all five Academy Award nominees for best Costume Design. And WHAT a treat. It was absolutely breathtaking to see the outfits from Anna Karenina, Argo, Django Unchained, Hitchcock, Hunger Games, Les Misérables, Lincoln, Mirror Mirror, Skyfall, and Snow White and the Huntsman in person, and I highly recommend the experience if you live in the LA area. I can tell you, after super-close inspection, the Anna Karenina costumes trump the Lincoln costumes in both quality and construction (for those of you with office pools), but without a doubt, the soaring architecture of the late Eiko Ishioka’s Mirror Mirror gowns beats them both. It was Colleen Atwood’s costumes for Charlize Theron in Snow White and the Huntsman that were the main attraction, though, and rightly so. That black feather cape (below) is on par with anything from last year’s Alexander McQueen “Savage Beauty” exhibit. SERIOUSLY. TO. DIE. FOR. There were a couple surprise hits as well: Whitney Houston’s purple cape from Sparkle, with its absolutely exquisite cutting and draping, literally had crowds swooning at the mannequin’s feet. You might want to Netflix the movie for that reason alone (the picture doesn’t do it justice). Also shocking: How FREAKING BONKERS the John Carter of Mars costumes were. Who knew? There was a luxe take on Princess Leia’s slave costume that should have been everybody’s slutty Halloween costume, and the buff-colored robe below, with its intricate Fortuny-like folds that gave it an otherworldly mushroomy appearance. I can tell you, I put some serious thought into how I might liberate it from the exhibit.