For the very first time, dresses created especially for Hollywood’s most iconic film star, Marilyn Monroe, will come North to showcase at SAVILES Hall opposite the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds on Monday March 17th. The exhibition is open from 11am to 7pm daily until the 29th March.

Suzie Kennedy – Voted The Worlds No 1 Leading Marilyn Monroe look-a-like will launch the exhibition with Sir Jimmy Savile, Conference Leeds and Event Organiser Andrew Hansford on 11am Monday 17th of March 2008

The dresses created exclusively for Marilyn were created by William Travilla. The ‘Travilla Collection’ tour has been organised by Andrew Hansford with the aim to celebrate the late Travilla’s work and raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society.

The exhibition will include legendary Marilyn Monroe’s couture pieces; including the iconic white halter dress, the pink satin dress from the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes performance of Diamonds are a Girls Best friend, the purple satin costume from How to Marry a Millionaire and the red sequined dress from the opening scene of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The collection also includes, personal dresses worn by Marilyn, a recreation from the original pattern by Travilla himself and prototypes that were fitted to her. Other items in the showcase include the original patterns and sketches produced by the late Oscar-winning costume designer William Travilla.

The exhibition has been sympathetically organised by Andrew Hansford who explains; ‘The importance of the ‘Travilla collection' can not be over estimated, these are priceless iconic dresses from Marilyn Monroe's golden era on silver screen, and now on view for all to see. This is a significant collection of premium film fashion history and therefore very much a must-see exhibition.’

As a tease for the future Andrew is also bringing two dresses belonging to Judy Garland, a Whitney Houston dress worn to her first Grammy appearance and Linda Grey’s fabulous frock from Dallas, with a personal letter from her.

Nicola Lockwood, Head of Conference Leeds said:
“We are delighted to be supporting this exciting exhibition. The opening of Savile’s Hall last year has meant that we have a venue large enough to host significant national and international exhibitions. Not only that, but as part of the Royal Armouries Saviles Hall is a unique venue with a real wow factor that appeals to organisers. It is perfect for creative industry events like this and we hope this is a catalyst to encourage more creative exhibitions to the area.”

Conference Leeds is supported by Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency.

ENDS
EDITORS NOTES:
PHOTO CALL OPPORTUNITY AND PRESS CONFERENCE
11am Monday 17th of March 2008
For further information contact:
Chris Owen Marketing Director Royal Armouries (International) plc on 0113 2201906
email chris.owen@rai-events.co.uk

or
Nicola Lockwood on 0113 220 6356,
email: nicola.lockwood@conference-leeds.com
About the Exhibition

William Travilla’s Marilyn Monroe dresses and other memorabilia will be on display at SAVILES Hall in LEEDS from the 17th of March 2008 until 29th of March 2008…Tickets cost £10 per adult, Students £5 per person Under 12yr olds FREE

Visit www.travillacollection.com for more details.

About Conference Leeds

Conference Leeds is the organisation responsible for promoting meetings and events across Leeds and West Yorkshire. The recently restructured Conference Leeds is now a “super convention bureau” representing almost 250 venues across the area, responsible for marketing the West Yorkshire districts of Bradford, Wakefield, Kirklees and Calderdale.

Conference Leeds is a Leeds City Council organisation with funding from Yorkshire Forward, Bradford, Wakefield, Kirklees and Calderdale Councils.

Conference Leeds can offer a free venue finding service for anyone wanting to host an event in Leeds and West Yorkshire and markets the area through a series of initiatives.
Business tourism is worth over £450million a year in direct expenditure to the Yorkshire economy.

About Yorkshire Forward
Conference Leeds is supported by Yorkshire Forward. Yorkshire Forward is the regional development agency for Yorkshire and the Humber, it exists to represent and help generate sustainable business for the region’s tourism industry, an industry worth £4.1billion to the region annually and employing over 165,000 people, making it one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the region. Yorkshire’s goal, as identified in Bold Vision, Bright Future - The Tourism Marketing Strategy for Yorkshire and Humber 2006 - 2010, is to achieve and increase in the value of tourism earnings to the region by 5% per annum to £5.9bn by 2010.

Press release issued by
Sue Crawley
Fire Circle Ltd
T: 01642 714999
E: sue@fire-circle.co.uk