Millicent has its own version of the Met Gala

It was a case of move over Anna Wintour and New York when Imagine Millicent put together its successful Millicent Met Gala in October last year, earning the function the Corcoran Ward Community Event of the Year Award.

According to Imagine Millicent’s Chris Hollingsworth, the Wearable Art Fashion Event was the brainchild of Helen Joyce, a local community member who owns the building that became Imagine Millicent’s first major artwork project.

“All Imagine Millicent’s fundraising events have been unique and include some focus on art and Helen’s idea fitted in well with our ideals,” she said. “Her vision was a wearable art competition based on the New York Met.

“From her initial idea we developed a plan to hold an event called Millicent Met in the Millicent Civic & Arts Centre and we applied for, and were successful in gaining, a Seed Funding grant from Wattle Range Council to help fund the event.”

Next came promoting the event and that started in February last year so community members had time to design and create a unique garment with entries closing mid-September ahead of the October 14 gala.

“The Millicent Met was a very inclusive event where we had contestants from as young as 10 and someone in their 80s,” Chris said.

The categories for entries included Most Imaginative, Best Dressed, Upcycled Extraordinaire plus two student categories.

“The designs and creativity was outstanding and we were over the moon with the response we received from the community,” Chris said. “We opened it for anyone living in the Limestone Coast and received entries from Millicent, Beachport, Hatherleigh and Mount Gambier.

“We particularly were interested in making sure we had facilities for the disabled, contestants as well as patrons attending.”

The designs hit the catwalk to music from a local DJ and three local judges cast their eye over the creations in an event Chris said went like clockwork.

“It wasn’t a huge fundraiser for Imagine Millicent however the response by the local and wider community far outweighed our expectations,” she said. “Millicent Met featured in so many online media and art groups and the recognition of Imagine Millicent and what we are all about and want to achieve was outstanding. It certainly put Millicent on the map as an artistic community.”

The event featured 24 garments from 20 designers and raised almost $4000.