It may be a world away from New York, but one South Australian town has put its own spin on the world’s biggest fashion event.
The Met Gala in New York attracts some of the biggest celebrities in the world to the city’s Metropolitan Museum and sets the fashion agenda for the year to come.
Rihanna attends the Met Gala, an annual fundraising gala held for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.(Reuters: Andrew Kelly)
In Millicent in south-east SA, the guest list was not quite as famous and the costumes were made by locals, not the world’s biggest designers.
But Imagine Millicent, a group of local artists, planned the Millicent Met to help raise funds for new public art in the town. “`
Organiser Sandi Melrose said entrants had made their own wearable art, with an emphasis on upcycling materials and finding pieces from op shops.
Ms Melrose says art has become an important part of Millicent’s character. (ABC South East SA: Sam Bradbrook)
“There’s 24 entries and it’s amazing to see the artistic ability,” she said.
“A couple of the women say, ‘Oh, I’ve never done anything like this and I’m stepping out of my comfort zone’ and their designs are lovely.
“We’re introducing people to art who may not get involved normally. You don’t need to be the best painter to enjoy art.”
Something ‘funky’
One of the entrants into the first Millicent Met, which was held on Saturday, was Chris Hollingsworth, who is also another organiser.
Her entry was inspired by a long-held desire to “design something funky” for the Melbourne Cup.
Chris Hollingsworth has worked in theatre most of her life and now wants to give back to local art. (ABC South East SA: Sam Bradbrook)
“It’s a bit funky and feels a bit wacky,” she said.
“It started with a skirt from the op shop which I cut up and rearranged, and I’ve got a paperbark tree in our garden which is shedding, so loads of bark over it.”
Ms Hollingsworth has spent a career in the arts, mainly in theatre, and is now enjoying helping Millicent locals get into art.
“We’ve got some brilliant murals around town and our main aim is to raise funds for that,” she said.
Ms Hollingsworth wanted to enter something “funky” for the first event. (ABC South East SA: Sam Bradbrook)
“It’s just creating a really good vibe in the town and we’ve got so many people who have shifted here from various places in Australia.
“They’re artists in their own right and some were overseas artists. They’ve settled here and love the art vibes.”
Art ‘isn’t just for stuffy people’
Imagine Millicent was able to raise more than $4,500 for public art at the event and the 24 entrants will now have their entries displayed at an exhibition in the town.
One of the costumes on show at the Millicent Met Gala. (Supplied: Millicent Business Community Association)
Ms Melrose said the show helped spread the word that art was for everyone.
“I was totally overwhelmed as the costumes started arriving on the Friday and the Saturday … as they came in I absolutely got goosebumps,” she said.
Imagine Millicent hopes to use the funds raised to plan and create a new public mural.(Supplied: Millicent Business Community Association)
“The amount of creativity in our town was amazing.
“Part of our goal is to perhaps let the community know that art isn’t just for stuffy people.”
2023-10-19 03:18:55
#Millicent #puts #twist #Yorks #Met #Gala #raise #funds #awareness #local #art
