Back in October of last year, I was approached by Linda Birchall from the Kiama Icons and Artists group to assist with the planning of an event honouring the legendary costume designer Orry-Kelly.

Fast forward nine months to 26 July, and the Orry-Kelly: Dressing Hollywood Gala and Exhibition came to life at The Sebel in Kiama, with around 480 people attending one or both parts of the event.

My role was relatively minimal - mainly contributing articles to The Bugle and drafting a couple of press releases. So, while I was expecting a wonderful evening and an engaging exhibition, I was completely unprepared for how spectacular it would truly be.

The exhibition itself was only on display for a single day. Painstakingly curated and assembled by the Kiama Icons and Artists team, it was set up and packed down within 24 hours. But you’d never have guessed that from the presentation.

Walking into the room, it felt as though the exhibition belonged there permanently. It was seamless, as if the space had been designed specifically to house this tribute to Orry-Kelly, rather than the exhibition tailored to fit the room.

The exhibition featured stunning dress recreations, informative plaques, life-sized cardboard cutouts, famous quotes, and even a film playing on a projector. 

The centrepiece of the Orry-Kelly exhibition - Olivia De Havilland's gown from The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

Despite the modest size of the room, there was more than enough content to hold your attention for at least an hour.

And then, there was the Gala.

Guests walked a red carpet into a space lit with the grandeur of a classic Hollywood premiere. Two towering Oscar statues guarded a stage backed by oversized film strips - an atmosphere perfectly set even before a single guest arrived.

One of the highlight dressed of the night, the newspaper dress, photographed on the red carpet

But it was the people who made the night unforgettable. Attendees brought the glamour in every form imaginable - some dug deep into their closets, others opted for high or low fashion, and several even created their own outfits. 

Among the most creative were a dress made from newspapers and another fashioned from Kodak film cartridges.

Once the crowd had settled, the energy spiked with a surprise performance from the Brent Street Dancers, weaving through the guests with the energy and polish of a Broadway number.

The dancers from the Brent Street Dancers

The event also welcomed an impressive lineup of special guests, including the team behind Women He's Undressed - producer Damien Parer, writer Katherine Thompson, and director Gillian Armstrong - as well as acclaimed Australian costume designer Wendy Cork (Predestination) and a special video appearance by the Australian with the most Oscars (surpassing Orry in 2013), costume designer Catherine Martin.

They spoke candidly about the process of making the film, Orry-Kelly’s legacy, and the shared experiences that shaped their creative lives - from dressing up dolls as children to staging backyard plays.

The entire evening was a deeply fitting tribute to Orry-Kelly, more than 50 years after his passing. And it was also something more: a vivid reminder of how the arts can unite and inspire a community.

Some attendees of the Orry-Kelly Dressing Hollywood Gala in front of the photo wall

In her talk, Gillian Armstrong shared a pointed reflection: “We remember our best batsman, yet we forget our artists.” It’s a sentiment that lingers. Ask any young person today who Gillian Armstrong is, and chances are, they wouldn’t know.

Events like this Gala are a chance to change that.

They give our artists - and the important Australian stories they tell - the recognition they deserve. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of more celebrations of creative legacy, right here in Kiama.