One of the perks of being a volunteer for the Powerhouse Museum on a project such as the Australian Dress Register is that I'm invited to attend events such as the opening of the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Costume Exhibition, which was held last week in Sydney.
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Not your average detective |
And for those of you who love millinery you are in for a treat - there's a whole room full of just hats from the series! And trust me, its the 1920s so there a lot of hats!
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Photo courtesy of ladylaurabell @ Instagram |
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Photo courtesy of ladylaurabell @ Instagram |
At the opening of the exhibition I was lucky enough to hear the costume designer from the series, Marion Boyce, chat about the costumes and her inspiration for them.
"It’s a period that I really love – I just adore the 20s and 30s. I do a lot of period pieces and really enjoy them, but not a lot are made anymore, especially in Australia. So, to be offered a show in my hometown, Melbourne, and for a period I adore was just fantastic. Also, the character is so fantastic! Phryne is a really sassy individual and the leeway she allows is fantastic. She wasn't conventional in any way – she’d served in the war, lived in Paris in bohemian style, and probably travelled further afield. This meant our parameters were wider and we could have an enormous amount of fun with her. Phryne’s influences would've been European. At the time, most of our dress was influenced by UK fashion, and because she's lived in Paris, her boundaries are broader. She was much more playful than the more conservative English."
You can read more about the process of the costume design from the series here.
Like Catherine Martin, Marion Boyle is an excellent Australian costume designer with a flair for the dramatic, and her love of textures and colours is on full display in this production and exhibition.
Another highlight from the night was that my friend and I also got to meet actor Nathan Page aka. Detective Inspector jack Robinson from the series! Swoon!
So even if you're not a fan of the series or have never seen it, anyone with a love for 1920s fashion should definitely check this exhibition out. I also bought the costume catalogue which is beautifully presented.
To find out more information about the exhibition go to the National Trust Website.
Thank you for posting this, it is really interesting. I enjoyed the interview. 8 weeks is a short time to source and make so many costumes, presumably for all the characters. Maybe it will come to NZ - in the meantime I'm enjoying the photos!
ReplyDeleteOh, I so envy you! I'm a big fan of the series, but as I live in Poland, it's almost impossible to visit the exhibition ;) Thank you for posting this!
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog some time ago and I must say you're doing great job! :)
Hello! I know you posted this ages ago, but it's been a great help for me and my Miss Fisher costume blog. I was wondering if there was any way I could see more of the costume catalogue? I'd be happy with anything you could provide! I'm over at Phrynefishersfrocks on Tumblr if you have any questions. Thank you so much!
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