Supreme Glamour

Wilson, one of the original members of the Supremes, shares her collection of some of the lavish costumes she flaunted throughout the 1960s and ’70’s. The 32 pieces exhibit evolving fashion trends, from simple beginnings with matte jersey dresses worn in 1964 to promote the Supremes’ first Billboard #1 hit “Where Did Our Love Go” to fully sequined gowns worn during one of their several appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Wilson shares dozens of photos that illustrate the Supremes’ changing looks that paralleled the group’s rise to fame, starting from the girls’ humble beginnings as Detroit high schoolers performing in homemade dresses as the Primettes. Wilson shares fun anecdotes as the Supremes gained popularity: when the group performed at the Copacabana for the first time, Wilson recalls that the blue satin dresses with flower appliqués “looked great initially,” but on stage, “the huge flowers appeared gaudy,” and the feathers “constantly poked and tickled” the girls throughout the show. Later, in the ’70s, while Wilson faced heartbreak as the sole original member left in the Supremes, she embraced Afro hairstyles in celebration of black pride and new disco fashions, such as fringed pantsuits. Both entertaining and aesthetically pleasing, this book will appeal to Supremes fans and vintage fashion enthusiasts alike.[em] (Sept.) [/em]