An exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, called “Dress Up,” explores how jewelry and fashion can be powerful vehicles for self-expression. As visitors take in the dozens of storied pieces on display, they’ll find a few glittering garments worn by the Boston-born “Queen of Disco.”

The show’s gallery is filled with lanky, glamorously-adorned mannequins, but MFA curator theo tyson was especially excited to introduce the one wearing a shimmering, beige dress adorned with red sequins.

“This is one of my absolute favorites — even though I know you're not supposed to have favorites in a show like this,” tyson said. “But it's from the collection of Donna Summer. It’s a pre-fall 2010 Valentino, and what's really special about this is she wore it for a performance of Art on Ice in Switzerland in 2011.”

Art on Ice is a star-studded, annual figure skating gala. While researching the dress’s backstory, tyson found footage and a photo from the event that helped confirm this key part of its history.

Source: WBUR