Glamour, sparkles, romance: A close look at celebrity clothing
The Craft of Design: The Fashion of Collette Dinnigan and Romance Was Born.
A stunning exhibition at Jervis Bay Maritime Museum & Gallery, Huskisson. On show until 23 June 2024.
Grab this opportunity to see celebrity clothing at its exquisite best. This stunning exhibition explores the fashion of iconic Australian designers Collette Dinnigan and Romance Was Born. Take a peek behind the glitz and glamour and discover the exceptional artistry, creativity and skill that goes into crafting each remarkable piece. The Craft of Design exhibition features outfits worn by Nicole Kidman, Queen Mary of Denmark, Taylor Swift, Dita Von Teese, and Miranda Kerr.
Dresses by Romance Was Born and Collette Dinnigan (Details)
Collette Dinnigan OA is one of Australia’s most successful and celebrated fashion and interior designers.
Born in South Africa, she moved to New Zealand with her family in the 1970s, then to Australia where she worked for the ABC in the costume department before her design career began. Dinnigan’s first clothing line was lingerie which saw great success, and was then followed up by a ready-to-wear collection in 1995.
Dinnigan is a true creative spirit who embraces life and art with daring and passion. From an unconventional childhood to the glittering catwalks of Paris, Collette’s journey is a fascinating one, full of surprises.
Collette became the first Australian designer to mount a full-scale ready-to-wear collection in Paris in October 1995, and in 1996 was invited by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture to show on the prestigious Paris Fashion Week schedule. In 2008, she was invited to join the esteemed executive board of the organisation.
Collette’s international celebrity status was confirmed in 2006 when she became a face of the American Express “My Life. My Card” campaign alongside actors Robert De Niro, Anthony La Paglia and Kate Winslet and tennis superstar, Venus Williams.
Queen Mary of Denmark wearing a Collette Dinnigan design.
Although best known for the glamorous dresses such as those in this exhibition Collette is a designer who maintains a sense of reality, able to work with companies such as high street retailer, Target to create a clothing line called Wild Hearts, offering a wider audience an affordable opportunity to wear her designs.
The exhibition explores Dinnigan’s creative process and the romantic, feminine designs that have seen her work sought after by a star-studded clientele of international actresses and royalty but her creative expression takes many forms including ceramics and cooking, making an appearance on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021.
Collette has also turned her boundless creative talent to writing children’s books such as Louis and Snippy Save the Sea with illustrations by Grant Cowan – an educational story in which the characters battle the odds against ocean pollution and explore our planet’s magical and yet so fragile sea world.
Romance Was Born is a contemporary Australian fashion house with a unique story telling vision. It is the brain child of renowned design duo Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales who met while studying fashion in 2005. The pair is known for their ability to transform any theme or seemingly random inspiration into a glittery glimmering fashion paradise.
Their collections are full of breathtaking statement pieces and feature; covetable prints, hand worked details of appliqué or embroidery, intricate beading and intensely detailed sequinned elements.
Romance Was Born designs are held in costume and textile collections across Australia and internationally. nationally at the National Gallery of Australia, the Powerhouse Museum, The National Gallery of Victoria and the South Australian Museum. Internationally, they featured in the 2019 Summer show “Camp: Notes on Fashion” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Each Romance Was Born collection is a vast fashion dreamscape exploring themes of fantasy steeped in vibrant imagery.
Romance Was Born designs on loan from Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.
Artistic collaboration is an integral part of how Plunkett and Sales work. Romance Was Born collaborations play freely and expansively with the relationship between fashion and art, offering their collaborators far ranging artistic freedom. This coupled with the extravagant, theatrical runway shows the design duo is know for, attracts artists who boldly express their sartorial style with individual flair, and who share Romance was Born’s creative passion and dedication to their process.
Past collaborations with kindred artists and brands include: May Gibbs; Linda Jackson; Jenny Kee; Del Kathryn Barton; Disney; Marvel; Lego, and the Sydney Theatre Company. Romance Was Born clothing is more than just beautiful garments – it is an immersive and emotional experience for the wearer.
Style mavericks and mavens seen in Romance Was Born creations include: Bjork; Caroline Kennedy; Cate Blanchett; Roisin Murphy; Nicki Minaj; Karen O; MIA; Eva Chen; Natasha Khan; Laura Brown; Patricia Piccinini, and Miley Cyrus.
More about Romance was Born and Collette Dinnigan
Before you see The Craft of Design exhibition click here To learn more about Collette Dinnigan’s glamorous collections and extensive accolades click here.
Meet Collette Dinnigan
If you’re quick you may still get a ticket to hear Collette speak about her creations at 2pm Wednesday 05 June 2024.
The Craft of Design: The Fashion of Collette Dinnigan and Romance Was Born is on show until 23 June 2024, at Jervis Bay Maritime Museum & Gallery, Dent Street Huskisson.
Nicole Kidman, dressed by Collette Dinnigan.
