Yslan Hicks, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at UA Little Rock, will discuss the cultural and fashion history of the wedding dress as part of University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Weekend University on Saturday, April 20.

Hicks’ presentation, “Memorable Wedding Dresses: From the Silly to the Sublime” will be from 1:30-3 p.m. at UA Little Rock Downtown, 333 President Clinton Ave. The cost is $15.

She’ll highlight bridal dresses that have come to be considered iconic – from Queen Victoria’s 1840 wedding dress, credited with establishing the well-known custom of wearing white, to Yves Saint Laurent’s 1999 ready-to-wear wedding bikini.

Hicks is a member of the designers guild United Scenic Artists, Local 829 and was named one of three Designing Women of the Year in 2012 by Women’s Foundation of Arkansas.  

Her professional costume design credits include productions at the Lincoln Center Institute in New York City, the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, the Old Globe Arena Stage in San Diego, and Arkansas Repertory Theatre. She has held faculty positions at The University of Tulsa and Tulane University.

Registration is available online at https://ualr.at/weekend. For more information, contact Christine Cotton, director of Extended Education, at cecotton@ualr.edu.