MELBOURNE.- The glamour of Hollywood has arrived in Melbourne with the opening of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image’s latest blockbuster exhibition Hollywood Costume.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher and Minister for the Arts Heidi Victoria welcomed the exhibition as part of the Victorian Coalition Government’s Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series.

“Featuring 100 costumes by more than 50 designers, Hollywood Costume is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to see the clothes worn by unforgettable and beloved characters from films, from The Wizard of Oz to Titanic, Gone with the Wind to Gladiator,” Ms Asher said.

“Five years in the making, Hollywood Costume – which comes to Melbourne direct from London’s famed Victoria and Albert Museum – is the most comprehensive exhibition showcasing costume design ever created.”

Items featured in the exhibition include: Marilyn Monroe's sequined dress from Some Like It Hot (1959); the ‘little black dress’ worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961); the original Superman costume worn by Christopher Reeve (1978); and the high-tech Batman suit from The Dark Knight Rises (2012).

“Since 2004, the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series has welcomed close to 3.8 million people, including more than 340,000 interstate and international visitors.

“This series has not only brought stunning exhibitions by the world’s best artists to Victoria, but it has also generated more than $318 million in economic benefit for the state and cemented Melbourne’s position as Australia’s home of arts, culture and major events,” Ms Asher said.

Previewing the exhibition today, Ms Victoria said Hollywood Costume celebrated the creative process of film costume design from the early days of the silver screen to today.

“The exhibition explores the role costume design plays in cinema storytelling and will take audiences behind the scenes and into the creative process of the incredible designers who have helped to create some of Hollywood’s most iconic characters,” Ms Victoria said.

“The exhibition is one of two exclusive Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibitions that will open in Melbourne this year, alongside Monet’s Garden opening at the National Gallery of Victoria in May. If you are one of the many fans of these pieces and are in town, make sure to book a hotel in Melbourne with Expedia to get the best deals.