Award-winning fashion consultant and stylist Susan Stein will be in San Luis Obispo presenting a unique and compelling program on fashion and costume history, Costume and Fashion Through the Ages: An Evening with Susan Stein. Noted for her entertaining and informative fashion presentations, Stein’s program will include a lecture presentation with actors modeling historic costumes from the Theatre’s extensive collection, a question and answer session, as well as generous hors d’oeuvres, wine and dessert. A fundraising benefit for the nonprofit San Luis Obispo Little Theatre, tickets for the June 4 Costume and Fashion Through the Ages event are $100 each and can be purchased at slolittletheatre.org, by phone at (805) 786-2440 or in person during box office hours, Wednesdays through Saturdays 3-6 pm.
ABOUT THE EVENT
The evening begins at 5:30 pm with dinner-sized hors d’oeuvres, fine wine and desserts served in the theatre lobby. At 6:15 pm, guests will be invited into the theatre for Ms. Stein’s lecture and presentation, featuring actors dressed in period costumes belonging to the Little Theatre’s extensive costume collection. During this entertaining and informative program, Ms. Stein will delve into the evolution of fashion throughout the ages. Historical and contemporary examples from theatre, films, celebrities, music and politics will be represented through fashion, demonstrating how trends are a reflection of current events. “I consider fashion to be pop art, which is a reflection of what is happening in society,” said Stein. “Throughout the years, we have used fashion to define our identity as well as our emotional, economic, and political status.”
Theatre costuming will be examined, not only as a reflection of the play or musical’s time period, but in understanding the motivations of the character. “Fashion, in relation to theatre costuming, is a way for us to define characters, their emotions, as well as the era and times that are portrayed in the story,” said Stein. Presenting this program particularly interested Stein because of the opportunity to speak about costumes and trends in relation to theatre, films and culture. Stein noted that audiences will walk away from the event with a whole new dimension of understanding fashion, trends and costumes, which will heighten their experience of theatre, films and entertainment. This event is sponsored by Libbie Agran & Guy Fitzwater.