Calling all fashion and art lovers alike! Something very special is happening at NGV right now! A spectacular collection of intricate, exciting, and ground breaking pieces of Australian fashion have been brought together in one space to bring you the 200 Years Of Australian Fashion exhibition! We were lucky enough to catch onto the trend at a preview and we are very excited to inform you that this seasons hottest collection works for everyone of all shapes and sizes, and is certainly one to give a go!
Prepare to be taken back on an incredible journey to explore the root of the Australian fashion industry, with some of the exhibits earliest pieces dating right back to 1805- featuring our very own earliest known surviving dress! As you wander through each section, you will see the incredible progression of style and trend of the last 200 years, some of our favourite pieces on display would have to be the beautiful and chic dresses from the 1950’s, in particular a gorgeous little Collete Dinnegan number you can just imagine hitting the town on the frame of a 50’s Melbourne socialite.
A highlighted feature of the exhibition is the recreation of the infamous Flamingo Park- the 1980’s Melbourne boutique created by Australian fashion and art legends Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson, the replica gives spectators a chance to experience the exciting and vibrant space where it all once happened.
But perhaps the cherry on top of the very well dressed cake is the incredible, and utterly indescribable final piece of the exhibition- a ginormous Swarvoski Crystal gown created by our very own Dion Lee, who we had the pleasure of hearing speak about his masterpiece at the exhibition preview. Lee described the incredible opportunity he was presented with to create a never before seen gown commissioned specifically for NGV’s 200 Years Of Fashion Exhibition. It truly is an incredible piece of art and certainly not one to be missed!
Those who take interest in art, history, and geography will be fascinated by the stories told by the pieces on display, from the rich cultures, to progression of decades, right down to the passion and intent of all of the very talented designers, and those who love fashion will get lost in the whimsical fairy tail of rich fabrics and decals, structured lines and bold colours.
All in all this is a once off event, 200 years in the making, and is an incredible ode to the wonderful talent and skill our Australian designers posses. Be sure to check this one out On The Listers, 200 Years Of Australian Fashion will be on display at NGV in the Ian Potter Centre from Saturday the 5th of March till the 31st of july and is open from 10am till 5pm daily, the perfect way to warm up for Melbourne Fashion Week! This is one event is not fashionable to show up late to!
Written by Alice Johnson
Alice is a passionate writer and part time caramel slice enthusiast, she’s always out and about discovering Melbourne’s coolest restaurants, fashion hot spots and the latest bands on the music scene. She plays on Insty, you can find her here
