Espace

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Background Fashion design has a fraught relationship with the art gallery, with fashion exhibitions frequently accused of confusing or ignoring the distinctions between the exhibition and the retail space and between fine and applied art. Contribution In conjunction with a solo exhibition by artist Veronica Kent, S!X staged a fashion parade in the respected gallery Sarah Scout Presents. The event featured new work in a style suitable for a gallery opening, notably recut jackets, tuxedos, and chandelier print dresses that had been subsequently embroidered in Pakistan. For two weeks following the parade, the work was installed in the space as if in a retail space, with the garments marked for sale. The concept was a critical response to the questionable traditional disciplinary distinction between fine art and design and between the retail fashion and commercial art space, Significance The parade and exhibition were at the invitation of Sarah Scout Presents and was accepted as part of the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival cultural program. It was featured both in the fashion festival program and the art gallery web site.