Home breadcru News breadcru Company breadcru Fashion from Fleece celebrates 200 years of Australian wool

Fashion from Fleece celebrates 200 years of Australian wool

20 Jul '07
2 min read

It's been 200 years since Australia exported its first bale of wool. Today, the country stands firm as the world's leading producer of fine Merino wool, generating half a billion kilograms of fleece a year. Soft, light and versatile, this high-quality natural fibre has inspired designers around the globe, from Giorgio Armani to Ermenegildo Zegna, Christian Dior to Collette Dinnigan.

Showcasing vintage and contemporary pieces from leading local and international designers, Fashion from Fleece celebrates two centuries of Australian wool in fashion. It also charts the journey of the Australian Merino from the pastoral boom to the high-tech fabric innovations of today.

Running from 25 July through to 22 August 2007 at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, it will include historical and contemporary garments from major Australian and international designers. Some of the key moments of wool in fashion will be represented by seminal designs from the likes of Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons.

Like any industry the Australian wool industry continues to progress, becoming even more economical, implementing safer and more efficient practices, creating new technologies, innovative textiles, and finer and softer fleeces.

Innovation is a key to the future, and the future of the versatile Australian Merino wool fibre is represented in the exhibition through contemporary creations by Proenza Schouler, Martin Grant, Akira Isogawa, Josh Goot, Collette Dinnigan and Easton Pearson.

Get Free Weekly Market Insights Newsletter

Receive daily prices and market insights straight to your inbox. Subscribe to AlchemPro Weekly!