CityLife

Must see: Gallery Of Costume

A dash of Hollywood glamour returns to Manchester tomorrow as the city’s Gallery Of Costume reopens following a £1.3m refurbishment.

The gallery, at Platt Hall museum in Rusholme, is home to one of the nation’s most important collections of fashion history and houses more than 20,000 pieces, dating from the 17th century to the present day, including recent creations from the late Alexander McQueen and local designers Vivienne Westwood and Matthew Williamson.

Miles Lambert, senior manager at the gallery, said: “It’s been absolutely brilliant for me to do this and a responsibility too to create the collection. The pieces are so beautiful and interesting and for it to be the biggest public collection of costume in the north is a real joy.”

The latest high-profile addition is a 1967 fuchsia pink Givenchy dress once worn by screen idol Audrey Hepburn, bought at auction for £3,500 in December 2009.

The collection is relaunching with Suffragettes To Supermodels, which celebrates the last 100 years of fashion.

The exhibition runs until September and incorporates high fashion, including a piece from Dior’s final collection, to high street/designer collaborations such as the recent Jimmy Choo line at H&M.

Platt Hall Museum, Rusholme, from March 13, 2010. Open Wednesday to Saturday, 1.30pm to 4.30pm. Free.