The distinctive Australian fashion industry is being praised this year at the National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV) exclusive exhibition celebrating 200 Years of Australian Fashion. We spoke to the exhibition’s Curator, Paola Di Trocchio, about the process of creating the event, her favourite pieces and the great milestone that the Australian Fashion Industry has achieved.
What is the inspiration behind the exhibition?
PDT: We are celebrating 200 years of Australian fashion! It's such a great opportunity to think about our heritage and the history of fashion here. It’s the 20th year of Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival, and we thought it was a great opportunity to celebrate 200 years of Australian fashion too.
How long does an exhibition such as this take to create?
PDT: We've been working on it very solidly for about a year and a half. But the idea has been floating around for about 3 or 4 years, and we've been collecting Australian fashion here at the NGV for sometime.
A dress that is over 200 years old is featured in the exhibition. How do you conserve and prepare particular garments such as that one for display?
PDT: That dress is from 1805, and is the earliest known surviving dress within the National Trust of NSW collection. We have professional conservatives who treat, move and pack the dress. We also ensured that the dress was displayed in a temperature controlled environment.
How could you describe the exhibition in 3 words?
PDT: Surprising, exuberant and sensational.
Why do you it’s so important to celebrate the Australian fashion industry ?
PDT: Australian fashion designers have been making a real impact in fashion for over 200 years now, so it’s great to give back and reflect on what has happened and look at where we are now within the industry.
Do you think a lot of the designers will come through and support the exhibition, particularly the opening week of this exhibition?
PDT: They are all really excited! We’ve involved various designers throughout the process of creating the exhibition, and we’ve invited them all along to the opening so it will be great to see them there!
Is there a part of the exhibition that is a particular favourite for you?
PDT: I wrote a chapter on contemporary fashion for the publication and it's great to be working with designers that are really making it their own. Dion Lee has created special work for the show, so it’s completely unique to our exhibition.
How would you describe the Australian style?
PDT: Boldness, courage and confidence in the way that we present ourselves. It’s a combination of being relaxed, having no boundaries and a sense of fun in the way that we dress
Do you think that the exhibition will help designers gain more exposure internationally?
PDT: It will be interesting to see! We've been getting a lot of attention for the exhibition so it’s entirely possible that it will raise the profile of Australian fashion overseas.
Showcasing works of contemporary designers such as Dion Lee, Akira and Richard Nylon, this is one exhibition that the fashion (and history) obsessed can’t miss! The exhibition will commence from the 5th of March to the 31st of July. For more information visit the NGV’s website.
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