The hour long forum aptly titled Curating and Collecting Fashion was led by four leading industry experts with a slideshow of the inspiring Easton Pearson exhibition providing a colourful backdrop to the discussion.

Buoyed by an enthusiastic and chic audience, the panellists engaged in a stimulating discussion that was every bit as eclectic and diverse as their backgrounds.

One of the more passionate topics of the night was the call for a dedicated fashion museum which would allow fashion to be collected and curated as an art.

Taking a curatorial/art gallery perspective, panellist Roger Leong, argued that the creative energy and conceptualising of ideas in fashion is a similar process to other art forms so it makes sense that galleries and museums should collect and curate fashion.

So why aren’t they?

Could curating and collecting fashion as art signal the start of critiquing contemporary fashion? If we propose that fashion should have a dedicated museum/gallery, then are we ready to critique contemporary fashion?

Mr Leong believes we are and that by curating a collection we’re effectively critiquing fashion and making our choice known to the world albeit silently; it is what we don’t select for curating that really speaks volumes.

Certainly a valid point but I’m not sure I agree with Mr Leong. If curating and collecting fashion paves the way for critiquing contemporary fashion then what are we really saying about fashion and its role in allowing us to express our individuality?

Unlike art critiquing where knowledge of the subject is a minimum requirement, fashion is irrational, it is a personal choice and so intrinsically entrenched in our lives; even the panellists recognise that everyone has a stake in fashion and therefore feels qualified to critique fashion.

So where do we draw the line? How do we critique fashion when its very fabric (no pun intended) is based on the notion of individuality and self-expression? How do we critique something so uniquely personal?

Rounding up the discussion was the issue of writing. Is there a critical forum for fashion writing? Panellist Professor Suzi Vaughan, acknowledged that there is sadly, very little critical writing in fashion as often the focus is on the design and little attention is given to the back story and the creative process which can be just as fascinating.

However, thanks to Prof. Vaughan, all that is about to change with the launch of Five- Fashion Musings- a collection of critical writings and stunning designs celebrating five years of Fashion at Queensland University of Technology.

Overall, it was an inspiring hour of thought-provoking discussions. The only drawback was that it wasn’t long enough! Here’s hoping that the Fashion Festival continues this new tradition of Fashion After Hours discussion!

MBFF Fashion After Hours- Curating & Collecting Fashion- Sparkling conversation about fashion & culture. Hamilton Room City Hall.

Written by (the passionate!) Foluke Abigail Zrobok

Panellists:

• Amber Long (Jean Brown Group)
• Roger Leong (Curator, International Fashion & Textiles, NGV)
• Francis Parker (Co-curator, Easton Pearson, GoMA)
• Professor Suzi Vaughan (QUT).
• Moderated by Alison Kubler (freelance curator & writer)

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