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Australian dress register ID:
566 -
Owner:
Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences -
Owner registration number:
2005/1/1 -
Date range:
2003 -
Place of origin:
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia -
Gender:
Female
Object information
Significance statement
Lisa Ho ran one of Australia's most popular and long-established fashion labels. A graduate of East Sydney Technical College, Ho produced her first collection in 1982 and by 1989 was recognised with a Fashion Industries of Australia Award. Ho has worked across all levels of the industry; designing, manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing a wide range of womenswear designs including swimwear, jeans, daywear, active wear, evening wear and special occasion dresses.
Ho's evening wear received prominent media coverage in 2003 when Australian actor Sarah Wynter wore a Ho designed beaded chiffon dress to the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. The Sydney Morning Herald's fashion writer Natasha Silva-Jelly reported the American commentator's surprise at finding Wynter wearing a dress by an Australian designer at a time when most celebrities were dressed in high profile European designer labels 'Apparently stepping out in an ensemble from her homeland was the fashion equivalent of Neil Armstrong landing on the moon, never mind that designer Lisa Ho has long been a well-known name on the Australian fashion scene.' (Sydney Morning Herald November 11 2003).
Lisa Ho received further attention when Australian TV star and musician Delta Goodrem wore this beaded chiffon gown to the ARIA Music Awards in Sydney in October 2003. Goodrem won an unprecedented seven awards resulting in substantial media coverage of her in the dress. Ho's success reflected the growing importance of fashion designer/celebrity relationships with celebrities and their stylists looking for the ultimate photo opportunity dress to wear down the red carpet. The confluence of Goodrem's ARIA success and Ho's elegant gown made for an indelible image that also led to numerous media articles reflecting more broadly on the recent international success and 'coming of age' of Australian fashion through the success of Australian designers on the international market.
In 2013 Lisa Ho Designs and Lisa Ho Retail were placed into administration. The same year the Lisa Ho group was closed as with all stores. Author: Glynis Jones, 15.10.2001.
Description
Sleeveless evening dress has fitted bodice with internal corset and bias cut floor length skirt with several thigh high splits featuring unhemmed, frayed edges. The dress is trimmed with diagonal bands of pink diamantes reaching from the neckline to the side splits and edged with a sprinkling of pink and transparent sequins. A fine pink diamante strap stretches from top left front of the bodice and wraps around the nape of the neck to the back of the bodice. Several diamante trimmed bands, chains and charms dangle further down the right arm while the left is adorned with frayed strips of pink chiffon. The dress zips up centre back.
History and Provenance
Births, deaths, marriages, children or family information
Lisa Ho was born in 1960 in Albury, Australia.
Delta Goodrem was born in 1984 in Sydney, Australia.
Place of origin:
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Owned by:
Young Australian pop singer/songwriter and actress Delta Goodrem wore this dress to the 17th Annual ARIA Music Awards held at the Sydney Superdome, Sydney Olympic Park on Tuesday 21 October 2003. She won seven awards including best female artist and this success combined with her popularity and recent battle with Hodgkins disease ensured photographs of Goodrem graced the front pages of Australia's major newspaper's including the Sydney Morning Herald and The Daily Telegraph.
Worn by:
Delta Goodrem.
Occasion(s):
Worn at the the 17th Annual ARIA Music Awards, the Sydney Superdome, Sydney Olympic Park on Tuesday 21 October 2003
Place:
The Sydney Superdome, Sydney Olympic Park
Designed by:
Lisa Ho ran one of Australia's most popular and long-established fashion labels. A graduate of East Sydney Technical College, Ho produced her first collection in 1982 and by 1989 was recognised with a Fashion Industries of Australia Award. Ho has worked across all levels of the industry; designing, manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing a wide range of womenswear designs including swimwear, jeans, daywear, active wear, evening wear and special occasion dresses.
Ho's evening wear received prominent media coverage in 2003 when Australian actor Sarah Wynter wore a Ho designed beaded chiffon dress to the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. The Sydney Morning Herald's fashion writer Natasha Silva-Jelly reported the American commentators surprise at finding Wynter wearing a dress by an Australian designer at a time when most celebrities were dressed in high profile European designer labels 'Apparently stepping out in an ensemble from her homeland was the fashion equivalent of Neil Armstrong landing on the moon, never mind that designer Lisa Ho has long been a well-known name on the Australian fashion scene.' Sydney Morning Herald November 11 2003.
In 2013 Lisa Ho Designs and Lisa Ho Retail were placed into administration. The same year the Lisa Ho group was closed as with all stores.
Made by:
The dress was designed and made in Lisa Ho's workrooms in Sydney in 2003
Made for:
This dress was made for Delta Goodrem.
Trimmings / Decoration
The dress is trimmed with diagonal bands of pink diamantes reaching from the neckline to the side splits and edged with a sprinkling of pink and transparent sequins. A fine pink diamante strap stretches from top left front of the bodice and wraps around the nape of the neck to the back of the bodice. Several diamante trimmed bands, chains and charms dangle further down the right arm while the left is adorned with frayed strips of pink chiffon.
Manufacture
The dress was designed and made in Lisa Ho's workrooms in Sydney in 2003. The elegant silhouette of the dress suggests it was inspired by 1930s bias cut evening gowns but Ho has given it a contemporary edge through the deeply slashed skirt, revealing a hint of leg and deliberately frayed hems.
- Hand sewn
- Machine sewn
- Knitted
- Other
Measurements
| dress | |
|---|---|
| Girth | |
| Chest | 950 mm |
| Waist | 610 mm |
| Hip | 610 mm |
| Vertical | |
| Front neck to hem | 1480 mm |
| Convert to inches | |
Bust: 950 mm
Waist: 610 mm
Hips: 610 mm
circumference at top of garment: 10010 mm
Dress Themes
Lisa Ho received attention when Australian TV star and musician Delta Goodrem wore this beaded chiffon gown to the ARIA Music Awards in Sydney in October 2003. Goodrem won an unprecedented seven awards resulting in substantial media coverage of her in the dress. Ho's success reflected the growing importance of fashion designer/celebrity relationships with celebrities and their stylists looking for the ultimate photo opportunity dress to wear down the red carpet. The confluence of Goodrem's ARIA success and Ho's elegant gown made for an indelible image that also led to numerous media articles reflecting more broadly on the recent international success and 'coming of age' of Australian fashion through the success of Australian designers on the international market.