Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
AV3 C. Backstage
B
IA2 D. VIP Lounge
AV4
E. Workroom: Easton Pearson
AV5
F. Studio: Nicola Finetti
Audiovisuals
exit to AV6
Cafe Courtyard
Catwalk footage can be seen
D throughout the exhibition. These
videos feature interviews with key
people behind Fashion Week:
IA1
AV1 The producer
AV25 Backstage
E IA3 AV6 15 years of innovation: the past,
present and future of Fashion Week
15 years
of
Fashion AV7 Nicola Finetti
Week
F Interactives
IA1 Be a fashionista
A
IA2 Hair and makeup
entry
exit to
Cafe Courtyard
TEACHERS NOTES 2
Exhibition themes
Introduction idea of a week of Australian fashion seemed
brave. At the time the local industry was
Fashion Week says to the world that
crumbling in the wake of lowered import tariffs
Australia is able to compete in the most
and competition from Asia. Australia was
image led, sophisticated cultural market in
importing $1.6 billion worth of clothing and
the world, which is ready-to-wear fashion.
exporting only $270 million. Australian
Simon P Lock, founder of Rosemount Australian
Fashion Week designers had few opportunities to showcase
their collections and limited access to overseas
Now in its 15th year, Rosemount Australian markets.
Fashion Week is an annual presentation of
spring/summer collection shows by established In 1995 entrepreneur Simon P Lock took the
and emerging designers from Australia and the audacious step of establishing a Sydney-based
Asia-Pacific. The event showcases a range of fashion week to put the Australian industry on
garments and styles for men and women: the global fashion circuit. With his considerable
swimwear, resortwear, streetwear, eveningwear experience in marketing and events, Lock and
and accessories. his company Australian Fashion Innovators
galvanised the local industry and travelled the
Fashion Weeks main focus is to sell clothes world cajoling top media and buyers to make
to both domestic and overseas markets. Each the long trip to Sydney. With support from NSW
year the event also puts the industry firmly in and federal government agencies keen to
the media spotlight and provides a launch pad promote the industry, and Australia, Locks
for emerging designers. vision became a reality in May 1996.
Wayne Coopers label BRAVE kicked off the first Australian Fashion Week quickly became a
Australian Fashion Week at Sydneys Fox mainstay of the fashion calendar. In 2005
Studios in 1996 (pictured below), when just the Australian Fashion Innovators was acquired by
IMG Fashion, the worlds largest producer of
fashion events, under the leadership of Martin
Jolly. Today the event has an expanded focus on
the Asia Pacific region and is reaching
audiences beyond the industry through the
Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival. Australian
designers are experiencing unprecedented
interest in their work both at home and
abroad which would be inconceivable
without the platform of Fashion Week.
Photo Alex Zotos
TEACHERS NOTES 3
Front row VIP Lounge
Designers choose the front row. Aside But the most chic look of all at Fox
from the actual collection the designers Studios is a neck strung with passes
are putting on the catwalk, the seating money cannot buy the ones that allow
plan is the second most important entrance to the invitation only between
element to a designers show. show havens laid on by Vogue and
Lucia Labbate, event director, IMG Fashion Harpers Bazaar. The top titles are also
vying to have the most glamorous
Catwalk shows are an elaborate, and expensive,
members of the Fashion Week A-list hang
form of seduction. The lights, the staging, the
out in their designer spaces. Free
models and the clothes are carefully designed to
champagne, manicures, neck massages,
cast a spell over the delegates; one the
coffee and herbal tea are laid on as bait.
designers hope will generate publicity and
Maggie Alderson, Sydney Morning Herald, 12 May
sales. 1999
TEACHERS NOTES 4
Related Powerhouse resources
Your students learning experience can be
further enhanced by combining their visit to
Frock stars with other Museum exhibitions,
programs and resources.
Exhibitions
Creating the look: Benini and fashion
photography, level 2
until November 2010
Creating the look explores the creative
processes involved in constructing eye-catching
fashion photographs. The exhibition showcases
Online
Frock stars microsite
www.powerhousemuseum.com/frockstars/
The Powerhouse has a wide range of online
design resources to help support your teaching
and learning, and provide essential research
tools for students.
TEACHERS NOTES 5
Unit of work
n Suggested teaching/learning context
In preparation for their immersion into the
exciting world of fashion, students will
themselves take on an imaginary role as part of
their visit to the Museum. They roles are:
TEACHERS NOTES 6
involved in making Fashion Week a successful
event. Look at various roles from publisher/
editor, events director, model casting to stylist.
Explain what their roles are in Fashion Week.
TEACHERS NOTES 7
explore the Nicola Finetti studio, see how a stars exhibition and the 15 years of Australian
real fashion studio looks and feels, see the Fashion Week. The different task will involve the
various stages of creative idea generation and students investigating a number of roles within
production as well as view some of Finettis the Australian fashion industry and how Fashion
signature garments. Week has impacted on this industry.
AFTER THE VISIT The students have three roles to select from:
1. editor of a leading Australian fashion magazine
Students will select to be part of three different 2. fashion blogger
areas involved in the fashion industry. The basis 3. designer
of research and inspiration will be the Frock
CONSTRUCTION operators
models model bookers
fabric merchants RAFW designer workshop
cleaners
ROSEMOUNT
security show producers scouts
club promoters safety officers
personal security
casting directors for VIPs
BUYERS
AUSTRALIAN
RAFWs in house photographers
and film crews
seating director
front of house managers
FRONT OF HOUSE
FASHION WEEK media and catwalks at RAFW
ushers
cleaners
PR companies
showroom managers
TEACHERS NOTES 8
Activity 1: Editorial for Vogue Australia
exploring 15 years of Australian Fashion Week
You are the editor of one of Australias leading
fashion magazines and you have been asked
to produce a visual and written editorial based
on the past 15 years of Australian Fashion
Week. In your editorial you will investigate
the original catwalk parades from 1995 and
research a designer or label and document their
development over the past 15 years. Also, look
TEACHERS NOTES 9
With all this in mind the second activity requires
you to become Fashion Weeks official fashion
blogger. You are required to blog on Australian
Fashion Week through your experience of the
exhibition. You will need to select a designer or
label from the Frock stars exhibition and blog on
past and present ranges.
TEACHERS NOTES 10
Relevant syllabus outcomes
The exhibition supports the following NSW P6.1 A student identifies and appreciates the
Syllabus outcomes: factors that contribute to the quality and
value of textiles in society.
TEACHERS NOTES 11
FROCK STARS IS PRESENTED BY THE POWERHOUSE MUSEUM IN COLLABORATION WITH IMG FASHION
Page 5: (top) Simona for Sportsgirl linen mini-dress, 1966, from Creating the look: Benini and fashion
photography; (bottom) Romance Was Born Iced VoVo dress, 2009.
Page 7: (bottom) behind the scenes, Billich Gallery, Australian Fashion Week, 2005.
Page 9: (top) Tsubi (ksubi) outfit, 2001; (bottom) on the catwalk, outfit by Therese Rawsthorne, Australian Fashion
Week, 2008.
For more information on the exhibition For more information about education support
Frock stars: inside Australian Fashion Week, or your booking, contact Bookings at the
visit the Powerhouse Museums website Powerhouse Museum:
www.powerhousemuseum.com/frockstars/ Telephone (02) 9217 0222
Fax (02) 9217 0622
Email edserv@phm.gov.au
2010 Trustees of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. This publication is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of research, study, criticism or review, or as
otherwise permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.
Text may be used under Creative Commons Licence, Powerhouse Museum, 2009. Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Australia.
The Powerhouse Museum, part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences also incorporating Sydney Observatory, the Powerhouse Discovery Centre and the NSW Migration Heritage
Centre, is a NSW government cultural institution.
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