The Exhibit

Elvis Jumpsuits: All Access

The largest-ever exhibit of Elvis’s iconic stage costumes from 1969-1977, charts the evolution of the design of Elvis's stage-wear during the 1970s.

History about Elvis’s Stage Costumes

The triumph of Elvis's 1968 concert television special prompted a permanent return to the concert stage beginning with Las Vegas in the summer of 1969. Elvis did not want to wear a tuxedo, which was basically the uniform of male crooners in Las Vegas at the time. He was going to Las Vegas to rock. Elvis called upon Bill Belew, who had designed the now-classic black leather suit and other outfits for the '68 Special.

Inspired by Elvis's great interest in karate, Bill Belew initially designed simple two-piece wool gabardine suits with tunic-style tops and long, karate-style belts knotted to one side with the ends dangling from the hip.

In Elvis's Las Vegas engagements of 1970, the first one-piece wool gabardine jumpsuits appeared. Most had high Napoleonic collars, mod Italian-style pointed sleeve cuffs and, as was the fashion of the day, flared legs. This became the basic design for most of the jumpsuits to follow.

The jumpsuits were initially simple in their ornamentation. All had long coordinating belts knotted and dangling to the side. In the early 70s, the jumpsuits became increasingly elaborate with metal and rhinestone studding, matching capes and coordinating big-buckle leather belts.

From 1974-1977, the jumpsuit designs featured very intricate embroidery work and the capes were phased out.

Pop culture historians agree that Elvis’s stage costumes were trend-setting at the time. When Elvis began wearing the jumpsuits, he and designer Bill Belew created a new style that many popular entertainers of the time incorporated into their own stage-wear. Through his own sense of style, Elvis influenced the fashion-style of countless performers from David Bowie to the Jacksons to The Osmonds and Englebert Humperdinck.

The craftsmanship of Bill Belew and his team, including Gene Doucette, a master with embroidery, was exquisite and the designs were cutting edge. Each one of the outfits is its own special work of art.

The look and performance-style Elvis created during this time can still be seen throughout entertainment and pop culture today, and the impact of Elvis’s sense of personal style will continue to be seen for many years to come.

What You Will See in the Exhibit

Elvis Jumpsuits: All Access includes 56 of Elvis’s jumpsuits and stage costumes. Also included in the lobby of the exhibit are ten sketches by designer Bill Belew.

Elvis’s jumpsuits and stage wear on display include:

• White, Navy and Black Herringbone Suits
• Black Two-Piece Suit
• Red Ladder Suit
• Beaded and Long Fringe Suit
• Wing Suit
• Violet and White Cisco Kid Vest
• Black Butterfly Suit
• Madison Square Garden Suit
• Owl Suit
• Black and White Conquistador
• Blue and Orange Target Suit
• Black and White Spanish Flower Suits
• King of Spades Suits
• Stone and Embroidered Eagle Suits
• White 2-Piece Suits with Blue, Black, Red, and Green Pockets
• Light Blue 2-piece Spanish Flower Suit
• Black, Red and Teal Phoenix Suit
• Blue Rainbow Suit
• Chinese Dragon Suit
• Indian Feather Suit
• Multi-Colored Jeweled Suit
• Nashville Suit
• Red, White and Black Cisco Kid Suits
• White Sleek Suit
• Metal Eye Suit
• I Got Lucky Suit
• Today Suit
• Inca Gold Suit
• V-Neck Suit
• Dark Blue Aztec Suit
• Flame Suit

Quotes about Elvis’s Style and Stage Costumes

“Elvis had an individual style. He has his own style and way he wanted to look.”
-Bill Belew

“I would have given anything to design for Elvis.”
-Gianni Versace

“He was self-consciously styling before rock style was understood.”
-Tommy Hilfiger

“When Elvis took the stage, he was wearing an all-white leather outfit with long fringe, a red scarf round his neck and a brown tassel around his waist that he later joked, ‘came from a Howard Johnson’s curtain.”
-September 14, 1970/Miami News by Susan Brink

“He was a glimmering figure: wisps of his greaseless shag hair brushed the collar of his white, silver and stone-studded, caped jumpsuit. Elvis said at one point, ‘I hope this suit don’t tear apart.’ And the crowd went wilder.”
-April 17, 1972/Jacksonville Times-Union by JoAnna Moore

“At the finale, he stood there at the end, his arms stretched out, the great gold cloak giving him wings, a champion, the only one in his class. He looked like a prince from another planet.”
-June 18, 1972/New York Sunday Times by Chris Chase

“Long black hair cascaded past his collar and those famous sideburns appeared fuller than ever. Long and lean, he strode on the platform in baby blue trousers and shirt, encrusted with jewels and a white belt, at least six inches wide, encircling his famous hips, glittering too and laden with heavy gold chains.”
-June 14, 1972/Evansville Press by Cynthia Kirk

Click here to plan your trip to Graceland to see the all-new Elvis Jumpsuits Exhibit.