GRACIE – Take a sneak peek

Excitement was in the air this week when the Fashion and Textile Department of the National Gallery of Victoria announced the acquisition of The Dominique Sirop Collection, made possible with the generous donation of $1.4m by Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of her husband, Harold.

A selection of works from The Dominique Sirop Collection, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Purchased with funds donated by Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of Mr Harold Campbell-Pretty, 2015

The amazing collection of who’s who in international fashion, consists of 130 works dating from 1800-2003. All the greats are represented: Worth, Callot Soeurs, Paquin, Chanel, Lanvin, Patou, Voinnet, Grès, Dior and Molyneaux all the way through to Issey Miyake and Comme des Garcons.

Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty with works from the collection
Photograph: GRACIE

Dominique Sirop initially worked for Yves Saint Laurent and later became an assistant designer to Hubert de Givenchy. His collection was developed over several decades beginning in 1945.

Molyneux, Paris fashion house France est. 1919
Edward H. Molyneux designer England 1891–Monaco 1974 Evening dress 1949 winter
silk (taffeta)
The Dominique Sirop Collection
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of Mr Harold Campbell- Pretty, 2015
Photograph: GRACIE

Paquin, Paris fashion house France est. 1891 Colette Massignac designer active 1940s
Evening dress 1947 spring–summer silk (faille, tulle), cotton v The Dominique Sirop Collection
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of Mr Harold Campbell- Pretty, 2015
Photograph: GRACIE

Chanel, Paris fashion house France 1914–1939 Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel designer France 1883–1971
Dress 1919 silk (chiffon), feathers
The Dominique Sirop Collection
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of Mr Harold Campbell- Pretty, 2015
Photograph: GRACIE

The exquisite embellished detail that extends through the couture works is extraordinary, as shown in these close up images.

Grès, Paris fashion house France 1942–1988 Madame Grès designer France 1903–1993
Dress 1985 autumn–winter silk (jersey)
The Dominique Sirop Collection
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of Mr Harold Campbell- Pretty, 2015

Christian Dior, Paris fashion house France est. 1946 Christian Dior designer France 1905–Italy 1957
Evening dress (Palmyre) 1952 autumn–winter acetate, cellulose (satin), metallic thread, glass (beads), sequins
The Dominique Sirop Collection
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of Mr Harold Campbell- Pretty, 2015

Chanel, Paris fashion house France 1914–1939 Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel designer France 1883–1971
Evening dress 1931 spring–summer silk (organdie)
The Dominique Sirop Collection
Purchased with funds donated by Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of Mr Harold Campbell- Pretty, 2015
Photograph: GRACIE

The collection doesn’t stop there. In addition, there is a fashion research archive that includes original fashion designs and couture house workbooks by such greats as Grès, YSL, Lanvin et al, and fashion photography from Paris fashion houses including Balenciaga as well as rare fashion magazines, including Gazette du Bon Ton Vogue and L’Officiel.

Jeanne Lanvin, Paris
Fashion design 1927
Campbell-Pretty Fashion Research Collection National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of Mr Harold Campbell- Pretty, 2015

Yves Saint Laurent, Paris
Fashion design (c.1970)
Campbell-Pretty Fashion Research Collection National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of Mr Harold Campbell- Pretty, 2015

These workbooks provide a unique insight into the evolution of fashion design and the creative process used to achieve it.

Jeanne Lanvin, Paris Fashion design 1927 Campbell-Pretty Fashion Research Collection National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased with funds donated by Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty in memory of Mr Harold Campbell- Pretty, 2015

The archive will form the basis of a new specialist fashion research library created for the NGV that will be known as The Campbell-Pretty Fashion Research Collection – supported by Mrs Campbell-Pretty in memory of her husband, Harold.