Friday 24 January 2014

Aurelio Costarella Exhibition: 30 year perspective

 
When I heard that self taught & hugely successful West Australian designer Aurelio Costarella was having a free exhibition at the Western Australian museum I didn't think twice about dropping Kobe (along with my mothers guilt) at poppy's for half the day.
 
 
Together with friend Chevaun, we oohed & ahhed over his fabulous creations. I can just imagine myself in that delicious burnt orange frock frolicking in parks on playdates (ha ha).
 
 
His gowns were cleverly dotted throughout the museum casually mingling in with the dinosaurs & animals. You definitely get your workout for the day running up/down stairs losing yourself in the sequins & frills.
 
 
 
 
 
 
I never realized that he use to trade under the name Ray Costarella until a deal went sour with his business partner in 1977 & he had to quit the label. Ray wasn't even his first name but a business name given to him by a former primary school teacher. In 2000, he was back in the game trading under his own name Aurelio Costarella. Fashion is a fickle industry & after the shock demise of Aussie designers Lisa Ho, Kirrily Johnston & Dana Mathers I too wonder if they will rejoin the fashion industry later down the track.
 
 
So much detailing goes into Aurelio's gowns with sequins, feathers, lace, beading & layers of fabric featuring in many of them. I even heard a rumour that Victoria Beckham regifted one of his gowns, VB I would gladly take any hand me downs lol :)
 

This exhibition is definitely worth a look for any Perth people & is on for a few more days until February 2nd. More info can be found here.

Happy Friday!

Grace




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