Black In Fashion: Mourning To Night
[ 2 March 2008 ]
Shoes by Vivienne Westwood:
the jewel in the crown of the exhibition.
Last night I was one of a few hundred guests invited to attend the opening of Black In Fashion: Mourning To Night at the NGV. (Thank you so much, Kitty!)
As we walked in, I spotted our friends Nicole (of Circa Vintage Clothing fame) & her husband Tim. We stood about discussing what we might see upstairs & our expectations of the event. Oh, okay — honestly, Nicole & I discussed that stuff & Simon & Tim stood there looking attentive & being charming! Waiters passed around trays of hors d‘œuvre & your choice of white or red, champagne or San Pellegrino flavoured drinks.
The organisers let us all percolate in the foyer for a while, & then the lights changed & someone clambered up onto the podium. Speeches were given (the usual “thanks to our sponsors & curators who did such a good job” etc.), & then fashion journalist Marion Hume grabbed the mic & proceeded to entertain as well as wow us with her vast knowledge of all things fashion. (Marion Hume is a very interesting woman: she edited Australian Vogue for 18 months, & after she used its glossy pages to dress down — rather than deify — Australia’s top designers, she was given the boot.) As she spoke, she swung between eras, taking us from the Dutch 17th century to Liz Hurley’s safety-pin dress in a matter of minutes. She explained the luxury of black & the difficulty of dyeing something a true black, as well as the trials & tribulations involved in having all your shades of black match up. Her speech was laden with anecdotes from the lives of Coco Chanel, Cristobel Balenciaga & Vivienne Westwood. We were all suitably impressed.
The original speaker invited us to go upstairs & have a wee squizz at the collection, “but not all at once, since it’s a small space!” she hastened to add. We started to move towards the escalators & I leaned over & said to Nicole, “I wonder whether Zandra Rhodes will be here!”. “Ooh, yes, of course, she’s in town!”, she replied excitedly. “Keep your eyes peeled for a bright pink bob!” I replied. Less than a minute later, I grabbed Simon’s arm & squeaked, “She’s here!” Zandra was standing right beside us in the queue for the escalator, next to a woman wearing a black turban with a white flower on the front. (A woman after my own heart, to be sure.) But she was engaged in conversation & I didn’t want to interrupt, so I decided I would speak to her later.
We rode the escalator to the 2nd level & entered the exhibit. There was a lot of hallowed cooing from everyone involved! The collection was small, about 60 items, but impeccably chosen & lit & displayed superbly. Here are some of the pieces on display…
YVES SAINT LAURENT RIVE GAUCHE, Paris (fashion house)
est. 1966
Yves SAINT LAURENT (designer)
born Algeria 1936, worked in France 1954–
Le smoking, suit (c. 1972)
Purchased, 2005
(I actually gasped.)
CHRISTIAN DIOR, Paris (couture house)
est. 1946
Christian DIOR (designer)
born France 1905, died Italy 1957
Zelie, cocktail dress 1954 autumn–winter
Purchased NGV Foundation, 2006
Chanel, Paris (fashion house)
1914–39, 1954–
Gabrielle Chanel (designer)
France 1883–1971
Jacket and dress 1920 spring–summer
Collection of Grainger Museum, Melbourne
It didn’t take us long to make our way around the gallery, & when we were done looking I started to freak out about talking to Zandra Rhodes. “What am I going to say?! Help! What if I just squawk & can’t get any words out?!” Simon was, of course, a paradigm of zen calm & encouraged me to go forth & fangirl! So I did.
I don’t know exactly what I said. Something like, “Excuse me, I’m sorry to interrupt but I had to come over & say hi! I think you’re amazing &, well, when I was at the Chelsea Hotel a couple of years ago I met your personal assistant because we had the same colour hair… I mean, my hair was bright pink like yours… so um, anyway, you’re so cool!” She was charming & gracious, I actually don’t remember much about what she said, except that she said I should come to the Zandra Rhodes exhibition at RMIT (which I will do).
I walked away from her with my knees all a-quiver & after all that excitement, we decided to was time to go home. As we exited the gallery (& were taking daily outfit photos!) I saw her again & I ran over & said, “This is the last time I’ll bug you, I swear, but would you mind if we got a photo?” “Of course not,” she replied, & so that is how the photo of her & I together came to pass.
Oh okay, since you asked (ha!), here it is again…
That was my night!
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala 
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This may not make sense but these are the words that popped into my head when I read this:
“Sigh & vicarious swoon!”
Even in my thoughts I’m a geek :P
wow!! arent you lucky!!!! im going to L’Oreal Fashion Runway Show tonight at Central Pier!!!! i might see you there??? If not i will tell you all about it!!! p.s are u allowed to bring cameras??? i am so excited my first ever fashion show!!
kylie — Nope, I’m not, I’m going to be at a show elsewhere! & yes, you can take cameras :> Dress up & have fun!
Oh, how incredibly exciting!! Go you for being so brave and awesome! The Dior dress is amazing (the lapels! the buttons!), and what a clever idea for an exhibition.
:D
Love those shoes (the first photo).
Reading this made me smile because it’s probably how I’d react if I met you. lol. Although I probably wouldn’t have the guts to actually talk to you. It’s nice to see other people getting all excited about their favourite people.
I actually fell off my chair when I saw the Christian Dior dress!!
Lord you are so cute! I’m so pleased you went and spoke to Zandra, and kudos to Simon for encouraging you. (I am all about sharing the enthusiasm and distinctly less about maintaining the cool!) I love that Dior dress.
your happiness i so so…
oh whatever, you lucky girl, brave you, im proud of you. your smile is saying everything, really. :*
and ps. i envy that dior dress
(and a bit of off topic- im sorry) funny thing. i always read your morning posts just before i go to sleep or while checking my morning post etc.- so either i have happy dreams full of love or a nice beggining of a day(of course not always, but still, i promiss that tonight all people in my dream will be dressed in black and having pink hair)
good night sleep tight
That Dior dress is TO DIE FOR! (or at least consider murdering for)
OMG! That Dior dress is so incredibly gorgeous!
You sound like you had a fantastic time! I love what you’re wearing, by the way! :)
I’ve been looking forward to this exhibition ever since i saw it advertised on the ngv website, I’ll definitely be heading there this week and this post has given me more of an incentive to get down there!
from the fantastic collection you have posted here i can’t wait!
and zandra… WOW that’s about all i can manage to say about her!
amazing. i would love to have been there. too bad i’m in america right now… :). but seriously, that dior dress is causing me to literally drool right now. amazing!!!
OH, i’d love to go to that exhibition, it looks fantastic. I think i saw something about it in Vogue? (or Bazaar). Anyway, you and Ms. Rhodes make quite a striking pair with your bright hair and daring fashion choices!
I think I would die and go to heaven if I got my hands on that Christian Dior cocktail dress.
Suicide by fashion, what a concept.
To echo everyone elses comments… that Dior dress is AMAZING! If only I had that & a cute pair of black Christian Louboutin ankle boots in my wardrobe… [daydreams] x
I would have fainted on the spot, or starting blabbing about my passion for jousting (or something random) if I met someone I completely admired&adored!
Iliketosmile: What a chic death that would make.
(Random, but on the subject of death, black, and idols…One of my idols, Gabrielle Coco Chanel, actually died on my birthday & month (different year).)
I. AM. IN. LOVE. WITH. THE. CHRISTIAN. DIOR. NEW. LOOK. DRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am salivating over it and I must have one. I shall visit the fabric shops this w.e and whip out the sewing machine as unfortunately I don’t think my budget will stretch to vintage Dior couture!!!!!!!
Gala,
I am so envious and thrilled for you. I love Zandra. I would’ve stuttered and spit something out in Spanglish. What a great moment.
Regarding the collection, the Dior is amazing. What a work of art.
Love your blog!
Sandra
Oh my, that Dior dress is stunning!
Hi this doesnt have anything to do about the subjeact but what excactly is things I love thursday?
Prceious Gala, how I did not see you I do not know! I am proud to say I am the best friend of the son of the NGV’s curator. I have been to many an opening as a date. Wasn’t it spectacular? Love the pic of you and Zandra Rhodes. Enjoy the rest of the week, you may see me but you’d never know it. I love how mysterious that is!
that dress!!
Wow!!!!!!
:)
Oooh, I have to go and see that exhibition! It looks superb.
I saw Zandra Rhodes at Runway Show 1 tonight…she certainly stands out in a crowd! I love it that she dresses like a metallic peacock and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. Definitely a woman to aspire to.
Maddie — It’s a regular celebration of the things that I & the community love & are grateful for! You should join in :D
Antonia — Oh, how weird! Lucky you though, you must have mad gallery hook-ups! Did you get all dolled up?
Nadia — She is fantastic. Was she in the front row?
OHHH MAH GAWSH...that Dior dress! My heart skipped a beat. How amazing would that be in cream silk as a wedding dress, with hot pink shoes? Love.
Carpe Noctum!!!
These outfits are mindblowing-ly amazing!
Getting dolled up is a must Gala! It’s fashion week! I have spied beautiful coral crocodile skin shoes I am buying just to commemorate it!
I am so jealous…zandra is a work of art!
I saw Zandra Rhodes at the Runway Show tonight at central pier, she was in the front row standing out in the crowd! That hair of hers is so bright! :D