2019 a busy year for major Kildare tourism venue

Marilyn, Playboy Bunnies and Supermodels at Newbridge Silverware in 2019 was a very popular attraction PIC: Conor Healy/Picture It Photography

placeholder image — Marilyn, Playboy Bunnies and Supermodels at Newbridge Silverware in 2019 was a very popular attraction PIC: Conor Healy/Picture It Photography

Some leading exhibitions at The Museum of Style Icons at Newbridge Silverware

2019 certainly was a busy year for the Museum of Style Icons (MOSI) at Newbridge Silverware.

The popular Newbridge tourism attraction launched numerous glamorous exhibitions last year to celebrate the lifeworks of Olivia Newton-John, Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Day and many more.

Olivia Newton John

In partnership with Julien’s Auctions, Newbridge Silverware and MOSI were honoured to welcome four-time Grammy award-winning super star Olivia Newton-John (photographed above with young fans at Newbridge Silverware).

Olivia personally opened the exhibition which gave Irish fans the first glimpse of some of her most iconic film costumes and memorabilia including the leather suit worn by her in the film Grease, along with gowns, awards and more.

The exhibition was on display until 31 August with a portion of the auction proceeds going to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre. Miss Newton-John also visited the Ballymore Inn during her stay and had enjoyed a live music session in Mick Murphy's, a traditional Irish pub renowned for their live music.

‘Supermodels and Playboy- The Evolution of Sex Symbols’

This exhibition featured original signed photographs and Playboy magazine covers of well-known super models. Famous names included Naomi Campbell, Bo Derek, Christy Turlington, Heidi Klum, Cindy Crawford, Rachel Hunter, Elle Macpherson, Gisele Bündchen, Tyra Banks, Adrianna Lima and Liz Hurley among others.

From Marilyn Monroe, the original pin-up girl of the 1950’s, through to the supermodels who dominated the catwalks of the 1990’s, the exhibition provided an interesting insight into the evolution of the supermodel and some of the most famous women in the world.

‘Fashion and Fantasy – a Lifetime Curation of Haute Couture’

In June, Newbridge Silverware and the Museum of Style Icons launched an exhibition which paid homage to the most famous names in haute couture fashion. The exhibition ‘Fashion and Fantasy – a Lifetime Curation of Haute Couture’ contained a collection of one-off or extremely rare designer pieces which dated from the 1950s to the 2000s.

The pieces were curated and collected by German native Monika Gottlieb (above) and included rare and one of a kind pieces by Chanel, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix, Givenchy, Balmain, Hermes and many others.

‘The Lifestyle of Elizabeth Taylor’

Newbridge Silverware, together with Julien’s Auctions and House of Taylor exhibited a rare collection of jewellery and costumes from the wardrobe of movie icon Elizabeth Taylor. The exhibition entitled, ‘The Lifestyle of Elizabeth Taylor’ was the only European showcase of the Hollywood icon’s most unusual jewellery pieces, garments and film costumes. Included were garments and jewellery that were the property of the star, created by designers Christian Dior, Nolan Miller, Valentino, Versace and many more.

Star of movie musicals, the late Doris Day

’The Doris Day Show’

The final exhibition of 2019, ‘The Doris Day Show’ will remain on show at the Museum of Style Icons until February 3, 2020. This exhibition is the only European showcase of the Hollywood icon’s personal garments, jewellery, awards and film costumes and offers visitors to the museum an opportunity to see a piece of film history.

The collection included the garment worn by Doris to the Golden Globe awards in 1989 when she was presented with the Cecil B DeMille award which is an honorary award bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment . Also on show are garments worn in the famous Doris Day Show which was broadcast on CBS from 1968 to 1973.

The museum welcomes over 350,000 visitors a year and contains one of the most unique collections of fashion and cinema memorabilia in the world. The free to enter museum has several permanent exhibitions dedicated to design and style while celebrating some of the world’s most iconic personalities from the worlds of fashion, film and entertainment such as Grace Kelly, The Beatles, Princess Diana, Audrey Hepburn and many more.