Ella Fitzgerald Exhibit

Ella Fitzgerald, the First Lady of Song, has a strong presence at The Jazz Loft, where she is celebrated not only with her music, but also with an exhibit of six of her spectacular gowns procured by The Jazz Loft Other memorabilia in the Fitzgerald exhibit includes items spanning the mid 1930s to the end of her life in the 1990s, including letters, personal objects, awards and more. 

The Fitzgerald exhibit of six Don Loper custom-designed gowns came to The Jazz Loft serendipitously, when TJL Founder Tom Manuel received a phone call one day from a young man in California stating that he had a collection of gowns from “someone named Ella Fitzgerald.”

Loper was a famous American costume designer, as well as a screenwriter, producer, actor and choreographer. He designed for Lucille Ball, as well as Ella Fitzgerald and some of his pieces are featured in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the California African American Museum.