This ensemble is comprised of a white cotton singlet top embellished with the text Le Moulin Rouge in red sequins; a white full knee length skirt constructed from layers of flounces; a black buckled waist corset; a red rose corsage that ties around the neck; a red fur shawl; and, red high heeled sandals trimmed with applied artificial flowers. The ensemble was designed by Docle and Gabanna, Milan and was worn by Catherine Martin in 2001. The ensemble is part of a collection of Australian and international designer clothing, shoes and bags from the personal wardrobe of Catherine Martin.

Catherine Martin is one of Australia's outstanding creative talents, working as a production designer, film producer and costume designer on significant film, theatre and event productions including Strictly Ballroom, Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet, La Bohème and Australia. Martin's creative collaboration with husband Baz Luhrmann has produced a visually lush, musically exhilarating, poetic style of storytelling.

Her personal wardrobe reflects Martin's romantic style, knowledge of fashion history and passion for handcrafted, artisanal textiles; an aesthetic that is also a key part of her designs for film, theatre, interior design and fashion. The collection includes outfits Martin wore to premiers and award nights including the evening dress she wore to the 74th Academy Awards where she received two Academy Awards for Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction.

Catherine Martin's personal wardrobe enhances the Museum's contemporary fashion and dress collection with significant examples of work from Australian and international designer labels including Easton Pearson, Collette Dinnigan, Willow, Akira Isogawa, Chanel, Mui Mui, Jill Sander, Comme des Garçons and Prada.

In addition the Catherine Martin collection includes a group of costumes and accessories from the films Romeo + Juliet (1996) and Australia (2008), set models from the film Australia (2008) and costumes and accessories from the theatre production of Puccini's opera La Boheme (2003). A key feature of these productions is the costuming and sets which reflect the extensive research and inventive interpretation of references drawn from across history and cultures. These costumes enhance the Museum's existing collection of costumes for the Baz Luhrmann films Strictly Ballroom (1992) (92/1900-92/1939) and Moulin Rouge! (2001) (2008/199/1-17).

This collection reflects the diverse approaches Martin and her team take in costuming film and theatre productions. In Romeo + Juliet, Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo wears an off the shelf Prada shirt that has been skillfully distressed to appear dirty and bloodied, while his companions the Montague boys appear in colourful screenprinted and handpainted Hawaiian shirts. The Australia costumes reflect the design and production teams' careful research into 1930s and 1940s clothing which they have skilfully re-interpreted and reproduced for the film. In contrast the costumes for the four key characters from La Bohème are an eclectic mix of contemporary mass market workwear, designer labels and newly created garments.

- Glynis Jones, Curator, Fashion and Dress, December 2010

Purchased as a gift to Catherine Martin by Jim Gianopolus of 20th Century Fox. Purchased at a charity screening of Moulin Rouge which was followed by dinner and an auction of garments inspired by Moulin Rouge by renowned designers. The event was hosted by Anna Wintour in New York.

Catherine Martin was born in Sydney in 1965. She completed a Diploma Design course at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney. It was here that she met and started working on projects with her future husband and creative partner Baz Luhrmann (b 1962).

Martin's first design project with Luhrmann was his experimental opera entitled Lake Lost devised for the Australian Opera in 1987, for which she and her co-designer Angus Strathie won a Victorian Green Room Award for Best Design. She has designed all of Luhrmann's subsequent productions including Strictly Ballroom (1992), Romeo + Juliet (1996) for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction, A Midsummer Night's Dream (various season's 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2003) Moulin Rouge (2001) for which Martin won Academy Awards for Best Costume Design and best Production Design, La Bohème (various productions, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004) and Australia (2008).

Catherine Martin and Baz Luhrmann married in 1997 and in the same year co-founded their film, theatre and entertainment production company Bazmark Inq and its subsidiaries Bazmark Live and Bazmark Music.

Clothing ensemble, womens, bra, top, skirt, corset, corsage, wrap and shoes, cotton / glass / polyester / leather / fur, designed and made by Dolce & Gabbana, Milan, Italy, worn by Catherine Martin, United States of America, 2001

Ensemble comprising bra, top, skirt, corset, corsage, fur shawl and shoes. Red bra with black straps. Decorated with red sequins. White cotton singlet top embellished with the text "Le Moulin Rouge" worked in red sequins. Full knee length skirt constructed from layers of flounces in white chiffon with lace edging. Attached to black silk half skirt. Zipper fastening proper left side. Black waist corset with red leather backing. Embellished with three buckles. Fastened with zip down back Red rose corsage fastened with velcro strip. Red fur shoulder wrap. High heeled platform sandals trimmed on vamp with applied artificial flower. 4 1/2 Inch heel. Gold platform and heel, red inside. Fastened with gold straps that can be tied according to the wearer.

Designed: Dolce & Gabbana; Milan, Italy; 2001

Owned: Martin, Catherine; ; 2001

Bra - white material label proper right end - "DOLCE & GABBANA / MADE IN ITALY"
Bra - white material label proper right end - "DOLCE & GABBANA / A450 1511 / VAR.303 / 50% Acetate / 50% Polyester", care instructions on reverse of label.
Top - white material label top middle back - "DOLCE & GABBANA / MADE IN ITALY"
Skirt - black material label top middle back - "DOLCE & GABBANA / MADE IN ITALY"
Corset - embossed into leather - "DOLCE & GABBANA / MADE IN ITALY"
Corsage - black material label near velcro fastening - "DOLCE & GABBANA"
Wrap - white material label middle back - "DOLCE & GABBANA / MADE IN ITALY"
Shoes - inside arch - "DOLCE & GABBANA / MADE IN ITALY"

2011/43/42

2001

980 mm