200 Years of Australian Fashion

Those with a passion for homegrown fashion might want to look out their best threads before heading along to the National Gallery of Victoria’s upcoming exhibition. Dedicated to Aussie style through the ages, 200 Years of Australian Fashion runs from 5th March to 31st July 2016 and is the first major fashion survey of its kind in this country – encompassing over 120 works from 90 designers, including Akira, Richard Nylon, Alpha60, Collette Dinnigan and many others. As well as contemporary pieces from some of the nation’s brightest stars, this showcase features Australia’s earliest known surviving dress (from 1805), a fabulous 1950s blue feathered ball gown by Collins Street salon La Petite (pictured above), a selection of colourful mini dresses from the swinging sixties, and Jenny Kee’s iconic 1970s Australiana-inspired knitwear. And after harking back to the past, it turns its focus to the future with a newly commissioned work by designer Dion Lee that demonstrates his ‘forward-thinking approach and innovative design practice’ – as well as a public symposium featuring leading designers, curators and commenters exploring the question ‘What is Australian fashion?’. We suggest you get all dressed up and head on down!