2024 Student Award - Millinery Australia

The 2024 MAA Student Design Award celebrates the work of Millinery Australia student members and students of millinery both with in Australia and around the world. The theme for this year’s award was ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’.

Judging criteria for the competition included originality and creativity, relevance to the theme, quality of workmanship, degree of difficulty and wearability in terms of comfort and stability.

The judging panel included with Lauren Ritchie, Alison Morgan and Serena Lindeman with Michele Cameron awarding the Mary Lock Encouragement Award.

Thank you to Georgia Skelton for managing this award. Congratulations to all of the students who entered!

Winner

AHELEAS KOTOPOULOS ‘On Tour’

The inspiration for my headpiece comes from the bus named Priscilla in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. For my headpiece, I used crinoline for the visor to represent the bus’s windscreen. In one of the iconic scenes, Felicia Jolly goodfellow, played by Guy Pearce sits on a giant high heel on the roof of the bus, with wind sweeping through silver fabric. To capture this through the structure of my headpiece, multiple lines were sewn on the strip lamé fabric and fishing line inserted to represent the flowing fabric while creating this theatrical effect.

Second Place

PRUE CORLETTE ‘Every Queen Deserves a Crown’

For this work I wanted to lean into the DIY spirit and aesthetic of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, by elevating ordinary objects to the extraordinary. In the film, thongs become a frock and, in my entry, gilt cotton reels become a crown fit for a (drag) Queen. The crown is a worbla base covered in padding and foiled spandex, with cotton reel rays sewn on. Painstakingly bedazzled ping pong balls – an iconic object from the film – top the rays in a nod to the bejewelled spheres atop the Queenly crowns of the past.

Third Place

KELLI DART-FAGAN ‘Alice’

“Alice!’ pays homage to the unforgettable journey of Mitzy, Felicia and Bernadette in “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” culminating the vibrant heart of Australia, Alice Springs. Drawing inspiration from the diverse landscapes, flora, and fauna of this region, the piece incorporates the rich palette of greens, golds, oranges and browns which encapsulates its essence. Buffel grass, a staple of Alice Springs, encircles the headpiece portraying their earthy greens, oranges and brown colors. At the centre of the headpiece perches a singular bird, inspired by the Rainbow bee eater, found throughout this region. The birds’ vibrancy mirrors the flamboyant colors of the costumes used throughout the film. Through ‘Alice!’, the spirit of adventure and the vivid allure of the Australian outback come to life in a stunning tribute to this iconic cinematic journey.

Mary Lock Encouragement Award

RICHARD DOMINGO ‘Cynthia’s Kiss’

My inspiration is Cynthia Campos, Bob’s wife and former “exotic dancer”, played mostly for laughs in the film. She inspires me as it takes a lot of courage to start afresh in a new country, leaving everyone and everything you know behind, in pursuit of a better life. My piece references the kiss she gives the ping pong ball, alluding to her unique talent, one that she is proud of, yet probably one also learnt due to dire necessity – hoping to bring attention to the rest of her untold story, along with the stories of the many un-named “Cynthias”.

AMANDA BRASON ‘Sky High’

My hat drew inspiration from the iconic scene of opera singing on the roof of the bus with a huge silver flag blowing in the wind behind, flowing upwards into the sky from a giant high heel. I chose the main colours of pink and grey to represent Priscilla. During the film, the bus is painted pink to cover up homophobic graffiti. Only one side of the bus was painted pink to allow the movie to be filmed out of sequence. The silk abaca ribbons were arranged to recreate the curling and flowing effect of the wind blowing through the material.

ARAKS NAZARIAN ‘Lennox Cakes Diamonds’

Lennox is one of my closest friends who is trans. I have chosen the trans flag colourway for this piece as not only is it soft and inviting, but also emphasizes how we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, and sometimes inside, you will find a beautiful magical place (the garden).
The snakeskin skullcap pays homage to the Priscilla bus, itself a character of its own in the movie, a beast conquering the Australian desert.

CHRISTNE LOOF ‘Pearl of the Desert’

The turban was my inspiration in making this hat.
Envisioning a princess wearing this turban hat and standing tall in the middle of the desert with all of her elegance and beauty demonstrating the strength that lies behind all of her tenderness. She is ready to be a queen of the desert. The techniques that I used were manual moulding and shaping operations on block the shapes in suitable millinery materials.

COURTNEY SUTCLIFFE ‘Desert Bloom’

My creation, inspired by Priscilla Queen of the desert, features a simplified crown adorned with hand- shaped sinamay flowers reminiscent of Sturt’s Desert Peas, celebrated for their energetic healing of sorrow.

Wrapped in gold netting on a wire base, this piccc symbolizes a hopeful future and imagines healing from past sorrows and divisions through a reimagined fresh, respectful Australian leadership style.

It encourages embracing individuality while fostering and celebrating unity.

HARRI HARRISON ‘Disco Inferno’

My inspiration for this entry was firstly the iconic scene where Guy Pearce’s character in the film is dressed completely in silver, riding the giant sequined shoe on top of the bus. I wanted to convey the joy and exuberance I shared with him back then for disco and freedom and wearing all the shiny, sparkly things.

The year Priscilla came out was also the first time I went to Mardi Gras with my gay friends where I was blown away by the complexity of the costumes some of the drag queens were wearing, including whole outfits covered in disco balls, feathers and sequins. I hoped to create something that could compare today by trying the difficult task of balancing a shoe on top of the hat, adding disco balls with lights so whoever wears it can be the real centre of attention especially at night, when the lights go down and the music turns up.

SHUK NG ‘Okra’

This unisex hat was inspired by the red soil of Alice Springs and Uluru. The lining design is intended to acknowledge the indigenous people of the land this movie took place on. The crown was blocked then modified by hand to look like a textured rock formation using three layers of sinamay, black sandwiched between two layers of orange. Beads and multi coloured thread are individually set with invisible thread to create the surrounding landscape. Fabric was spray painted and set with glue to create the silver ribbon, with foam padding used to the forehead area to add comfort.

VERONICA CATANIA ‘Tangerine Temptation’

To connect with the theme, I utilized a variety of techniques: Color Palette: I incorporated pastel and bright colors reminiscent of the Australian Outback landscape. This helped to evoke the energy and vibrancy of the film.
Through my entry, I aimed to convey the journey of self-discovery and acceptance central to “Priscilla Queen of the Desert.” I depicted characters embracing their true selves amidst a backdrop that symbolizes the challenges and triumphs of their journey.
I incorporated symbolic elements that represent key themes from the movie, such as the iconic bus “Priscilla,” which serves as a symbol of freedom and transformation for the characters.
Overall, my entry aimed to celebrate the spirit of “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” while offering a fresh perspective that resonates with audiences. Through a combination of vibrant visuals, storytelling, and symbolism, I sought to capture the essence of the film and its message of acceptance and self-expression.

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Mary Lock Encouragement Award

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