• Advertise
  • About us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Australian Times News
  • News
    • Weather
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Business & Finance
      • Currency Zone
    • Lotto Results
      • The Lott
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscopes
    • Health & Wellness
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Weather
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Business & Finance
      • Currency Zone
    • Lotto Results
      • The Lott
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscopes
    • Health & Wellness
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
No Result
View All Result
Australian Times News
No Result
View All Result
Home Lifestyle

Australians Represent at the V & A Hollywood Costume Exhibition

REVIEW | A must-see for film buffs, the V & A Hollywood Costume Exhibition even has a few surprises for the discerning Australian viewer.

Haylee Slater by Haylee Slater
22-11-2012 11:00
in Lifestyle
V&A Images Elizabeth 2 A Golden Age (1)

V&A Images Elizabeth 2 A Golden Age (1)
Image: V & A Images

THE Victoria and Albert Museum, known locally as the V & A, is well worth a visit by the Australian tourist. Located on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, it is opposite the Natural History Museum and conveniently close to the nearby Science Museum.

The V & A wears its age well, not only in its grand Victorian façade still bearing the scars of WWII, but also in its diverse and modern exhibitions. The most current, the Hollywood Costume Exhibition, draws on this interplay — showcasing 100 years of cinema within three large galleries.

Entering the exhibition, viewers are met by a mammoth projector screen casting frames from some of the most recognizable moments in film’s varied history. While slightly overbearing, the screen quickly sets the tone for the collection.

A movie geek through-and-through, I am here to indulge my fascination with film, costume design, and to find as many Australian references as possible. In the opening gallery, findings are scarce. Like any good competition between our neighbouring countries, our Kiwi friends represent well with a larger than life opening act. Sadly, it is shoved in a dark corner.

A video narration from Director James Cameron and Actor Andy Serkis explains the tools employed by Weta to perfect costume for films such as Avatar and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Andy Serkis’ motion capture suit is on display and the accompanying video gives geeks such as myself a fascinating look behind the scenes of filming.

Some of the costumes are displayed on headless mannequins accompanied by script excerpts from the films they made famous. Others are complete with LCD screens hosting the face of the actor that wore it, giving some life to what otherwise could have felt like a window display.

The Australian Influence

AlsoRead...

Premier-Leagues-Fifth-Champions-League-Janosch-Diggelmann-Unsplash

The Battle for the Premier League’s Fifth Champions League Spot: Who Will Prevail?

8 May 2025
Image Source: Unsplash

Business Gas: 3 Easy Ways to Keep Costs Down

23 April 2025

Lost in wonder at costumes from Fight Club and The Addams Family, I almost miss the Australian contributions that have begun to spring up everywhere. The first is found in the Indiana Jones’ ensemble.

According to costume designer Deborah Nadoolman, Indy’s costume would not have been complete without his iconic felt hat, the design of which was customized from the Australian Herbert Johnson Fedora.

The next, a dress worn by Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth: The Golden Age stands out in a sea of taffeta and velvet, its bright orange contrasted against a white haloed dress worn by Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare In Love.

The exhibition is shrouded in darkness, a complaint mentioned in all reviews I have read about the exhibition. The low lighting aims to protect the garments, and it does add to the atmosphere of the showing in some areas. I imagine Darth Vader’s suit would have much less impact in a brightly lit room, however in some other areas I can appreciate the frustration.

Take time to smell the roses

Each costume displayed is accompanied by an explanation from the director of the film it is featured in, the costume designer who made it or the actor who wore it. While at times the comments are quite generic there are some unique tidbits hiding in there.

Nicole Kidman says of her sequined costume worn as Satine in Baz Luhrman’s Moulin Rouge that corsets are great for Victorian activities “like drinking tea,” but high kicks? “Forget it.”

If you don’t take the time to look up as you wander through this exhibition, you may miss this costume. It is placed on a mannequin in the same pose Kidman holds while singing “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” on her trapeze swing.

The costume worn by Australian Russell Crowe in Gladiator is harder to miss. Designed by Janty Yates, she explains that it was important to turn the usually flowing Roman tunic into something “manly” at the request of Ridley Scott.

Errol Flynn, the Australian actor known as much for his leading roles in films such as Robin Hood as his playboy lifestyle, starred in The Adventures of Don Juan in 1948. His costume sets the tone for the leading men and is in good company amongst Dick Tracy’s yellow suit and Christopher Reeves’ Superman.

The magic of the Matrix

Kym Barrett, is an Australian costume designer born in Brisbane known for her work with the Cirque Du Soleil and on Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. Her best work, in my opinion, is on display at the V & A in Neo’s coat from The Matrix.

Unfortunately, this is one of the key costumes almost impossible to see from the front close up. It is possible to admire the fabric from the back provided you lean in closely.

This became a running theme throughout the exhibit. Costumes such as Jack’s ragged clothes and Rose’s high-collared suit and hat from the opening scenes of Titanic became lost in the background. Others were so high up in the dark they could barely be seen.

Fashion lovers rejoice

For fashion lovers, visit for Marilyn Monroe’s signature white dress from Some Like It Hot, Holly Golightly’s black dress and necklace seen reflected in the window at Tiffanys from Breakfast at Tiffanys, the Yellow Dress and the Harry Winston “Isadora” necklace from How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days and ‘that’ green dress from Atonement.

Classic film buffs will rejoice in Dorothy’s dress and Ruby Slippers highlighting the early novelty of Technicolor in The Wizard of Oz and the size of Scarlet O’Hara’s green velvet layered gown from Gone With The Wind will amaze. With Rocky squared up against Die Hard’s John McClane, Harry Potter’s first robes, and Eliza Doolittle’s tattered dress, every visitor is likely find a favourite costume on display.

For those interested in the history and process of costume design this exhibition is the one for you.

The exhibition will run from 20 October 2012—27 January 2013. Tickets are available from www.vam.ac.uk.

Tags: art exhibitionsArts and LiteratureAustralian cultureAustralians in Londoncultureliving in LondonLondon
DMCA.com Protection Status

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER

[mc4wp_form id=”2384248″]

Don't Miss

Leading with Trust: Why Quality still wins in the AI Era

by Pauline Torongo
5 June 2025
Leading with Trust: Why Quality still wins in the AI Era
Business & Finance

If you're leading a software team today, you've likely noticed the shift: faster feature rollouts, routine automation, and AI taking...

Read more

How to Save on Airport Parking: Budget Tips Every Traveller Should Know

by Fazila Olla-Logday
3 June 2025
How to Save on Airport Parking
Travel

Saving money on airport parking can be a challenge,but here are some budget friendly tips to help you navigate.

Read more

Why Australian Investors are Betting on the Aviation Maverick Louis Belanger-Martin

by Pauline Torongo
28 May 2025
Why Australian Investors are Betting on the Aviation Maverick Louis Belanger-Martin
Business & Finance

Bélanger-Martin’s ambitions stretch beyond redefining inflight comfort—they’re rooted in resurrecting the romance of supersonic travel with a modern twist.

Read more

Why a Gluten Free Hamper is simply the Best Gift for a Coeliac

by Fazila Olla-Logday
22 May 2025
Gluten Free Hamper
at

Buying a thoughtful gift can be tricky at the best of times, but when someone has dietary restrictions like coeliac...

Read more

Biela.dev is quietly becoming the Infrastructure Layer for the Next Internet

by Pauline Torongo
15 May 2025
Biela.dev is quietly becoming the Infrastructure Layer for the Next Internet
Technology

Biela.dev is not merely a consumer app; it is infrastructure. It could be a layer that powers the next generation...

Read more

The Battle for the Premier League’s Fifth Champions League Spot: Who Will Prevail?

by Fazila Olla-Logday
8 May 2025
Premier-Leagues-Fifth-Champions-League-Janosch-Diggelmann-Unsplash
at

As the Premier League season nears its climax, the race for the coveted Champions League places is tighter and more...

Read more

The Predictive Infrastructure: How BOF’s Neuro Finance System Reengineers Market Forecasting

by Pauline Torongo
5 May 2025
The Predictive Infrastructure: How BOF’s Neuro Finance System Reengineers Market Forecasting
Business & Finance

As global markets become more complex and volatile, BOF Investments has developed Neuro Finance, a predictive system that combines machine...

Read more
Load More

Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
australiantimes.co.uk is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. DMCA.com Protection Status

  • About us
  • Write for Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • T&Cs, Privacy and GDPR
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Weather
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Business & Finance
      • Currency Zone
    • Lotto Results
      • The Lott
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscopes
    • Health & Wellness
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia

Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
australiantimes.co.uk is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. DMCA.com Protection Status