Westwood/Kawakubo Exhibition at the NGV

Westwood/Kawakubo Exhibition at the NGV

On Thursday 19th of March 2026, students from Year 9 Textiles were ecstatic to visit the Westwood/Kawakubo exhibition in the renowned NGV.  

Speaking on behalf of the rest of our cohort, we are so grateful to have been able to witness the timeless work of Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo. Many designs left us speechless and in awe with their eye-catching character and revolutionary innovations. The blend of punk and pirate themes, mixed with historical aspects made the experience one to remember. As aspiring designers this was an opportunity worth a lifetime, from the second we stepped through the doors our breath was taken away and inspiration sparked. To see the iconic and gorgeous designs up close was fascinating.

Some designs which were popular among the class were the contemporary ‘Avant- Garde’ dress, from Kawakubo’s 2016 fall collection, adorned with 3d flower petals, constructed by many, intricate pieces of fabric. This unique design is known for being worn by Rihanna at the 2017 Met Gala, which showcased the deconstructionist fashion, that embodies Kawakubo’s work.

It is also safe to say that the beautiful ‘MacAndreas Tartan’ Gown by Vivenne Westwood which was apart of the Anglomaria collection and worn by Kate Moss in the 1993 runway show, clearly left a huge impression on us all. They way the garment flowed together, and the overly long hood which draped over the model was definitely an unusual but gorgeous design for this dress, just the innervational inspiration we needed.

Just as we thought we had seen it all, Ms. Conti said that we could not leave without seeing some Masterpieces, she guided us through the gallery to present us with the memorising paintings that were Picasso’s ‘Weeping Woman’ and Tiepolo’s ‘The Banquet of Cleopatra.’ Standing before both incredible art compositions will be something that we’ll always remember. They are capsules in time which were astonishing and very much worth the trip. We all extended a huge thank you to Ms. Conti, for organising the excursion, as well as Mr David and Mrs Carson for accompanying us and for giving us this experience, we seriously cannot express our gratitude enough, as this was a once in a lifetime experience that I know we will never forget.

Written by Asha B  and Angelina K