Stars shine at NGV Gala: See the red carpet pictures
Melbourne was at its fashionable best for the return of the NGV Gala, which also marked the opening of the Alexander McQueen Mind Mythos Muse exhibition.
Fiona Byrne
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Melbourne was at its fashionable best with the NGV Gala bringing glamour back to the city.
The celebration of fashion drama and story telling marked the return of the gala — Melbourne’s answer to New York’s Met Ball — after a two-year break owing to Covid pandemic restrictions.
More than 1400 guests partied into Saturday night at the event which also marked the opening of the Alexander McQueen Mind Mythos Muse exhibition.
Model Shalom Harlow, a McQueen muse, was a special international guest, remarking on the style of Melbourne.
“I love Melbourne. I was in Sydney 22 years ago for the millennium new year on Tom and Nicole’s boat (Cruise and Kidman) which Baz Luhrmann decorated,” Harlow said.
“That was my introduction to Australia.”
Harlow, who arrived in Melbourne from the US on Thursday, was famously painted by a robot on the catwalk at Alexander McQueen’s 1998 show.
The moment has become iconic.
“I definitely think of that as being iconic now, although at the time I was just living in the moment,” she said.
“I understood the significance of what was happening, I knew it was a special, poignant moment.
“There is something about man and machine and the interface and the overtake.
“He was communicating on so many levels beyond what a designer typically has to say.”
Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Melbourne was leading the way in fashion diplomacy.
“Every time the NGV put on an exhibition like this featuring an international designer it is fashion diplomacy,” Bishop said.
“It is bringing art and fashion and culture here to Melbourne and Australia.
“I have not been to the gala since 2018 so it is a very special evening.”
NGV director Tony Ellwood said he was thrilled with the way the gala had been embraced.
“We could not be happier,” he said.
“Melbourne has embraced the gala, embraced design and fashion.
“It is great to see tourism coming into the city for this kind of event.
“It just reinforces how strong the cultural credentials are of our community.”
Philanthropist Lady Potter was among the guests with her granddaughter Zofia Krasicki V Siecin – who was the belle of the ball in an embellished pink strapless gown.
“This is a special family night,” Zofia said.
“We have always had such a close association with the NGV, so it is very nice to be here tonight.”
Models and actors Jess Hart, Megan Gale, Phoebe Tonkin, Georgia Fowler, Elsa Pataky, Gabriella Brooks, Maddison Brown and Charlie Fraser were also among the guests, as well as singer-songwriter Troye Sivan, art collectors Andy and Kallie Penn and fashion designer Toni Maticevski, rapper Baker Boy and footy favourites Adam Goodes and Eddie McGuire.
MasterChef judge Melissa Leong cut a dramatic figure, arriving on the black carpet in a combination of Mugler, Con Ilio and Tiffany.
She posed up a storm for photographers after news broke of an alleged falling out between her and some crew on the hit Channel 10 show.
Claims that she does her own make up on the show seem wide of the mark. While she did do her make up for a short period, a makeup artist does her face for MasterChef.
Milliner Richard Nylon caused a sensation arriving on the black carpet with his face hidden behind contemporary black beaded sticks.
“I am lost in the woods,” Nylon said.
“McQueen was so sophisticated and complicated. I just wanted to throw in a whole lot of his tropes and his ideas and a little bit of me as well.
“So I am using a recycled bag as my handbag, one of his delivery bags. It was such a pleasure to design an outfit for this.”
Brit Selwood, who is expecting her first child with her husband, recently retired Geelong captain, Joel Selwood, said she was looking forward to a fashionable night out.
“I am so happy, it is coming into summer, I have nearly finished up work, I am happy to be here at the NGV,” she said.
“The countdown is on, I am due in February so I think this might be my last event for a while.
Life after footy is great. I think we are really enjoying the downtime, enjoying each other before baby comes.
“We are very, very excited. We have waited a long time but we are going to have our little baby soon.”
Liam Hemsworth’s girlfriend, Gabriella Brooks was a guest of the jeweller Tiffany at the gala and arrived in the same Mercedes van as actor Maddison Brown.
Interestingly, Brown, known for her work on the TV drama Dynasty, was briefly linked to Hemsworth in 2019 following his split from Miley Cyrus.
While Hemsworth was not at the NGV Gala he was in Melbourne.
The actor was spotted in Sorrento on Friday where he attended a friend’s wedding.
Another style queen attending the NGV was Jess Hart, a noted rev head and fashionista, who was a guest of Mercedes at the event.
She was stunning on the black carpet in a Louis Vuitton gown teamed with Tiffany jewels.
Among the many guests turning heads were Brooke Blurton, Deni Todorovic, Megan Gale, Alice Zaslavsky, Sarah Todd and Alex Pike.
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