In his 40-year career, the pioneering fashion designer Geoffrey Beene developed a stunning body of work that combined structural and formal innovation with a uniquely American sense of play. Designed by Pentagram, Geoffrey Beene: Trapeze is an exhibition at the Phoenix Museum of Art that presents the designer's groundbreaking work in a display of over 30 garments from the private collection of Patsy Tarr, who was one of his most avid collectors and champions. Tarr is also Pentagram's longtime collaborator on the performing arts journal 2wice, which she publishes.
The designers worked closely with Dennita Sewell, the museum's fashion design curator, to develop Trapeze, which was inspired by Mr. Beene's love of the circus. The design is an homage to Mr. Beene's ongoing love of geometry, color and graphic patterning. The installation playfully suspends the garments at different heights from the ceiling, creating an animated vista as museum goers approach the gallery. Distinctive mannequin forms reflect Mr. Beene's love of anatomy and the important relationship of his clothes to the body. The garments float and cluster over a series of colorful round platforms that feature quotations by Mr. Beene that circle each platform.
