The Beauty in Black exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore showcases a collection of 18 exquisite black dresses by many esteemed fashion designers like Karl Lagerfeld for Chloe and Oliver Theyskens for Rochas, celebrated local designers like Thomas Wee and Benny Ong, as well as designer labels such as Givenchy, Lanvin, Balenciaga and Comme Des Garcons among many others.

This lovely dress is Oliver Theyskens for Rochas (foreground) which I think was my favorite among the 18.

Understated black walls encase the exhibition, with some relevant engaging quotes thrown on and back-lit photo frames on the wall – Beauty in Black was every bit the chic exhibition it promised to be, tracing the evolution and relevance of the LBD (little black dress) introduced in 1926 by Coco Chanel, popularised in 1961 by Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, dressed by Givenchy. The LBD as a classic fashion staple was then set in stone.

But why black of all colours? Does it not symbolise the worst of most cultures – evil, death and mourning? Read more to find out.

Black is the absence of light, a symbol of power, status and sombre elegance, all of which is what comes to be the image of modernity.

In Singapore, black dresses became well-received by women since the 1950s, due to westernisation after the World War II. This was when Singaporean women became more trend-conscious globally, trading their traditional garments like the Sarong Kebaya for Western dresses. These traditional dresses also started adopting the color black.

This is a fabulous “French Poodle” style gown from 1954.

Another interesting framed photo of a dress was this black and white polyester ankle length maxi dress which makes use of two extreme contrasting colors to create an optical illusion effect that was fashionable in 1969.

This particular picture of a Yohji Yamamoto LBD is a quintessential example of Japanese minimalism in fashion, with its unsparing penchant for black, and its very, very understated styling.

Visit Beauty in Black to see first hand the exquisite hand-crafted works on the dresses – sequins, embroidery and the like. It’s a wonder how they managed to put together all these glorious pieces.

Beauty in Black runs until 13 June 2011, admission is free.

The National Museum of Singapore
93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897

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