Trenches to Runway: Military Influences on Popular Fashion is an exhibition presented at the Shrine of Remembrance, launched in tandem with Melbourne Fashion Week.

Described by curator Kate Spinks-Colas, this exhibition “explores the rich connections between the uniforms that once graced the battlefield and the iconic fashion staples we embrace today.”

Studio Peter King worked in collaboration with Kate and the team at the Shrine to develop the exhibition design for this project, which pairs historical uniforms with contemporary fashion and accessories. Each story is framed between illuminated mirrored fins and backdropped by a collaged wallpaper perimeter.

Collage was chosen as the key design signature for the exhibition Trenches to Runway - juxtaposing images of wartime conditions against fashion photography.

Reminiscent of a designer’s sketchbook or a fashion moodboard, these collages allow for interesting comparisons between a topographic map created for a pilot and pattern-making template created for a tailor.

Client: Shrine of Remembrance
Curator: Kate Spinks-Colas
Exhibition spatial and graphic design: Studio Peter King
Exhibition Identity: Multiple Studio
Lighting: MEGS Lighting
Build: Paul Masson
Installation: Collection Care
Graphics: Decently Exposed
Photos by Casey Horsefield