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POSTED: 24 MAY 2010 Australian Made: NGV explores a century of Australian fashion* On 28 May, the National Gallery of Victoria will open Australian Made: 100 Years of Fashion, a remarkable collection of clothing and accessories from the 1850s to 1950s. Drawn entirely from the NGV’s own collection of Australian fashion and textiles, this exhibition will explore the rise of fashion in Australia. On display will be rare early examples of labeled garments from the mid-19th century and a range of dresses, tailored items and accessories that were made and retailed in Australia. Paintings and photographs showing how the garments were worn will also be included in the exhibition. Laura Jocic, the NGV’s Curator, Australian Fashion and Textiles, said: “From first European settlement, the way Australians presented themselves in the new colonies was of vital importance. “Whether reflecting status and position in a newly formed society, or exhibiting new found wealth and flamboyance, the language of fashion was of particular concern for the burgeoning and diverse society.” With the discovery of gold in the 1850s, drapers, tailors, dressmakers and department stores were founded to respond to the needs of a growing society. Among these were Farmer & Co in Sydney and Buckley & Nunn in Melbourne, which both ran dressmaking departments that provided for a fashionable clientele. Australian Made will begin with late 19th-century dressmakers such as Miss Scott in Brisbane and Mrs Eeles in Melbourne, who were precursors to the high-end boutiques of the first half of the 20th century, such as Le Louvre in Collins Street, Melbourne. The exhibition will conclude with early-20th-century works from independent fashion houses such as GHV Thomas and Lucy Secor. who were beginning to make their mark on the Australian fashion scene. Dr Gerard Vaughan, the NGV’s Director, encourages visitors to view this wonderful exhibition, which charts an important period in Australian fashion. “This exhibition presents new research into an area of fashion that is relatively under-documented. All the works have been selected from our collection, showcasing the fashionable trends and demands of the development of Australian style over a hundred years,” he said. Australian Made will feature labeled garments from Beril Jents, Hall Ludlow, Buckley & Nunn, Mrs Eeles, Le Louvre, La Petite, Lucas, Hicks, Atkinson & Sons, Misses Mooney, Georges, Lucy Secor, MAGG, Linda Patricia, Hartnell of Melbourne, Ann Austin, Thomas Harrison, Helena, Ottery’s, Ball & Welch, Bright & Hitchcocks, Miss Scott, Brownell Bros, and Ivy Field Lingerie among others. Australian Made: 100 Years of Fashion will be on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Federation Square from 28 May 2010 to 23 January 2011. Open 10am–5pm, closed Mondays. Entry is free. *Based on media release issued by National Gallery of Victoria. HOME > ART & MUSEUMS > |
Beril Jents, Sydney (fashion house) |
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