The ROM's Material Ball: Diamonds was held on November 13, 2008 and this gala fundraiser was unique because it featured the North American premiere of the Spring/Summer 2009 collection by Paris-based fashion designer GIAMBATTISTA VALLI within the innovation space of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal.

Material Ball: Diamonds was certainly an elegant evening with beautiful fashion, architecture and a private viewing of the ROM's stunning exhibition, the Nature of Diamonds. All funds raised at this event will go towards the Burnham Brett Endowment for Textiles and Costume at the ROM, as well as the textiles initiative of the Renaissance ROM campaign. These funds are critical to the Museum and allow Senior Curator, Dr. Alexandra Palmer (Nora E. Vaughn Fashion Curatorship Textiles & Costume) and her expert team to properly rotate and display the collections material in the gallery.

This year's Material Ball is particularly significant as the ROM recently celebrated the opening of the new Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles & Costume, the first permanent home for the ROM's renowned textile and costume collection in over 40 years. This voluminous cathedral-like space displays approximately 200 pieces dating from the 1^st millennium BC to the 21^st century AD. Also, due to conservation considerations, the artifacts are rotated on a regular basis, ensuring that there's always something new to see. In fact, historical fashionista Marie Antoinette's dress (from the ROM collections) will be on view until November 16, 2008.