You don’t need to be a fashion tragic to enjoy the National Gallery of Victoria’s exhibition, Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto. It’s a fascinating insight into the woman and designer. After visiting the exhibition while I was in Melbourne I came away with a new appreciation and admiration for Gabrielle Chanel and all she achieved in her lifetime.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA (NGV) – GABRIELLE CHANEL. FASHION MANIFESTO
Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto is the first exhibition in Australia to focus exclusively on the significant contribution to fashion culture by Gabrielle Chanel.
Featuring over 100 outfits, jewellery, accessories and perfumes, it’s visually appealing. But it’s important not to get too distracted by the fashion and to make sure you take the time to read the information about the evolution of Chanel’s designs.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the years Chanel devoted to creating, perfecting and promoting fashion to women all over the world. Chanel’s fashion manifesto was to design styles based on principles of comfort, streamlined simplicity and ease of movement.
I was particularly fascinated to learn that although Chanel believed in simplicity in her designs she loved nothing more than decorating her own outfits with what I’d call ostentatious jewellery and accessories. The Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto has a room dedicated to Chanel’s jewels and they are quite something.
Accessibility at the National Gallery of Victoria – Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto
The National Gallery of Victoria offers wheelchair accessibility throughout. Lift access is provided between the various levels of the gallery and exhibits are housed in large rooms with plenty of circulation space. Once inside the Gabrielle Chanel exhibition there is plenty of space to socially distance, large glass cabinets display Chanel’s fashion and it’s easy to move around..
You can download a sensory map for the Gabrielle Chanel exhibition on the NGV website.
The NGV has extensive accessibility information on their website categorised by the access needs of visitors. It always makes my heart sing to see such extensive information being provided. Check out the NGV’s access and resources for visitors with a disability on their website.
Unisex accessible bathrooms are located throughout the gallery.
Entry to the National Gallery of Victoria is free but the Gabrielle Chanelle exhibition is a ticketed event.
Gabrielle Chanel Fashion Manifesto will be on at the National Gallery of Victoria until 25 April 2022. You can read more about the exhibition and see ticket prices on the National Gallery of Victoria’s website.
If you are visiting the National Gallery of Victoria, make sure you check out the sculpture garden to see the pink pool, an installation entitled pond{er). Visitors are welcome to view the pink pool or wade through the water if you fancy.
Pond(er) was designed by a Melbourne-based team comprising architecture firm Taylor Knights in collaboration with artist James Carey. The pond of water is coloured pink, making reference to Victoria’s inland salt lakes.
Pond(er) will be in the sculpture garden at the NGV until the end of April 2022.
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