200 years of sequins, glamour and funky style
The spotlight is on this nation's fashion high achievers in an exhibition that showcases the remarkable work of more than 90 Australian designers at the Ian Potter Centre in Federation Square.
Review by HANNAH CLIFTON
Every stitch, every sparkle and every sequin tells a story at NGV’s 200 Years of Australian Fashion exhibition.
For the first time, more than 120 pieces from more than 90 Australian designers are on display at the Ian Potter Centre in Federation Square.
As you walk and weave your way through each decade of fashion, you can see that each room has been carefully crafted to match a different era.
Lavish gowns from the mid-19th century are displayed on pedestals, surrounded by hats, fascinators and accessories on white mannequin busts. The exquisite details of every piece — hues of blue, beige and purple, stiffly tailored bodices and grand skirts — all are paraded in grand fashion.
In another section, workrooms are replicated to show what it would have been like for aspiring designers in the 19th century. Rolls of material line the walls and mannequins are stripped bare, while industrial lights swing from the ceilings and measuring tapes are strewn across the rooms. It’s not too hard to imagine the dressmakers themselves hunched over their garments, crafting their pieces to perfection.
"The Salon" section — lit by chandeliers and decorated with long lounge chairs and antique mirrors — wins hands down on extravagance. The mannequins have flowers in their hair and their gowns glitter and sparkle under the dim lights.
In the centre, a mirrored revolving platform showcases the exquisite garments. The shadows of the mannequins dance around the room to the beat of swing music, and leopard skin rugs are draped lavishly over lounge chairs.
Moving through the rooms, on display are decades of notable trends in Australian fashion, illustrating the fine line between fashion and art.
With the rise of independent fashion in the 1980s, along came the crazy, the outlandish and the spontaneous. A full-scale checkerboard runway-style setup comes complete with all the outrageous excesses of the '80s — colour-changing lights, Afro wigs, enormous hats and wild patterns.
Finally, the exhibition pays homage to some of Australia’s finest modern designers, such as Collette Dinnigan and Richard Nylon, by displaying some of their most admirable works in a familiar modern environment.
This puts a welcome spotlight on the unique voice and influence of Australian designers.
The NGV presents 200 Years of Australian Fashion as part of the cultural program of the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival, which is celebrating its 20th festival in 2016. It runs until July 31.
