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Sailing into a new style of exhibition
By Megan Staunton
What do Kylie Minogue, Popeye, The Prince of Wales, Picasso and the Village People have in common?
They've all donned the cheeky, sexy, flamboyant and theatrical sailor style!
These famous personalities and many more are now on display in the bold yet informative exhibition depicting the evolution of nautical wear Sailor Style-art fashion film at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney.
This creative exhibition has seen people traveling from all parts of Australia to see the enormous impact the sailor style has had on the fashion world, and how it has evolved from purely functional, to fashionable, to even fetish!
Breaking into new markets, the exhibition has seen waves of people in the fashion, art and film industries streaming through the doors of the Museum to discover more about the phenomenon of the sailor style. The interest from the fashion industry has been backed with stories on the exhibition featured in fashion magazines Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.
According to Museum Director, Mary-Louise Williams, the exhibition is perfect for the Australian National Maritime Museum. 'One of our main aims is to show how the sea has influenced, and still influences, the lives of people on land.
'You only have to look around: the nautical look, which originated in the 19th century at sea, is everywhere now,' said Ms Williams.
To steer the project, the museum engaged fashion and design guest curator, Rosie Nice. Her previous Sydney exhibitions had included the highly successful History of the Australian Scarf (Historic Houses Trust) and State of the Waratah (Royal Botanic Gardens).
With 12 months to curate the exhibition, Ms Nice started the search for objects that would best illustrate the themes of the exhibition. It was a search that extended throughout Australia and abroad to Italy, France and the United Kingdom.
'At the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich (near London), she located something unique-a small sailor suit in which Queen Victoria dressed her five-year-old son, the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) in 1846,' said Ms Nice.
'The Queen's husband, Prince Albert was charmed and a portrait of the Prince, wearing the suit, was commissioned. It set a new fashion for British children.'
The original sailor suit, a key piece in the world-wide story of sailor style, is in the exhibition along with a reproduction of the famous portrait.
Literally hundreds of other pieces fell into place to create a visual display of how the nautical look has evolved in all its different forms.
The exhibition features a vast range of items from early twentieth century swimming costumes, sailor pants from designer Coco Chanel's own wardrobe, artist Martin Sharp's Popeye dolls and Donald Duck toys.
'Overall, the exhibition shows that sailor style is reinvented for every age, and it's here to stay,' said Ms Nice.
Sailor Style is on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum until 28 February 2005. Exhibition information is available on the website at www.anmm.gov.au or contact Mariea Fisher, Manager, Temporary and Travelling Exhibitions on 02 9298 3777 or email mfisher@anmm.gov.au
Inset at top: Donald Duck figure in boat. Collection: Martin Sharp.
Below: Mademoiselle Coco Chanel au Ritz Paris, 1937. Photograph: Roger Schall.