From the collection of award-winning Australian costume designer Marion Boyce (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and The Dressmaker), and developed in conjunction with QUT, comes an exhibition of 45 bridal gowns from the 1880s to 1970s The Bowerbird and The Bride.
Marion Boyce has been collecting garments she loves since childhood; her vast collection of fashion, accessories and other curiosities has grown through years of astute buying from surprising places around the world, along with donations from family, friends and fans. A recent gift of period and vintage wedding dresses inspired Marion to dig into the abundant store of what she calls her treasures to create The Bowerbird and The Bride.
More than a history lesson on a century of Australian wedding fashion, The Bowerbird and The Bride is an intriguing insight into how Marion weaves together fact and fiction, conjuring forth fascinating characters and stories from every piece of clothing. From period and vintage wedding dresses to a stunning array of headpieces, bouquets and other accessories both restored and especially designed by Marion, this exhibition brings to life each ensemble through a series of vignettes filled with beauty, nostalgia and sometimes mischief and whimsy!
