Fashion spectacular behind the scenes

Press, 1 December 1987, Page 32

Fashion spectacular behind the scenes

The organisers of next year’s gala Australian fashion event, the Bicentennial Wool Collection, are searching for a warehouse big enough to house the massive, hi-tech set for the show at the Sydney Opera House. The set, created by James Ridewood, one of Australia’s leading designers, is the biggest set built in Australia. It incorporates 60 tonnes of equipment and needs to be stored near the Opera House in a warehouse at least 2800 sq m and a minimum of 25m high. Nine of the world’s leading designers will next month pay tribute to Australian wool and the role it has played internationally in the show, which will be attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales.

The designers are: Gianni Versace, Rosita and Ottavio Missoni of Italy, Sonia Rykiel, Kenzo and Claude Montana of France, Oscar de la Renta and Donna Karan of the United States, and Bruce Oldfield and Jean Muir of Britain. Six leading Australian designers — Jill Fitzsimon, George Gross, Wendy Heather, Stuart Membery, Adele Palmer, and Covers — will represent Australia in the event which will be televised live in Australia and by satellite elsewhere. The show is being organised by Chrissie Koltai, aged 39, a director and choreographer who hopes to do for Australia’s fashion image what “Crocodile Dundee” did for the landscape — bring it to world notice. The collection is being billed as the world’s biggest fashion event. It is a sAust 3 million extravaganza being staged by the Australian Wool Corporation and the International Wool Secretariat. Ms Koltai say, the responsibility of presenting the event, an integral part of Australia’s celebration of 200 years, is awesome.

“It’s turned out to be an immense task, it involves two jobs, really. “The important thing is to present the designers and their clothes. The designers are my script. Everything has to radiate around them. But it also has to be done stylishly and in an entertaining way. It has to be spectacular without being flashing lights and thumping thighs. “That just wouldn’t be appropriate when you consider the people involved. However, I’m sure it is all going to be possible.” The international designers were personally invited to participate in the event by the Australia Prime Minister, Mr Hawke. Their clothes will be worn by 40 Australian and international models. “Selecting the models has been the most difficult problem. Trying to please every designer as they all want something different. You think you have found someone stunning and a designer will decide they are totally inappropriate for their particular look,” Ms Koltai said. So far more than 500 models have been auditioned; some of the biggest names on the international catwalk will be participating in

the event. "There will still be a lot of gambling involved,” she admitted. “The difficulty is coming up with the ideas without being able to test them with rehearsals. “When the models arrive the week before the show, we will be left with only a few days to rehearse. But I keep telling myself that these people are used to doing it all in a very short period of time.” Ms Koltai has the experience to handle not only the creativity required but also the scale of the project. Her credits include choreographing and acting as assistant director for the Australian production of “Hair,” two productions of “Cabaret,” and choreographing the Australian Opera’s production of “Voss.” She has also worked in film. “In many ways the Bicentennial Wool Collection will be like a film. It has to tie in the visual and the emotional.” To gather the understanding necessary to put together such an ambitious project, Ms Koltai recently spent several weeks talking to the giants of the fashion and textile world. “This helped me understand what the designers put into their own shows,” she explained. “It also enabled me to understand how important the selection of the models would be. Having spent over a year preparing and planning the Bicentennial Wool Collection, Ms Koltai is confident it will be a success.