TheHallowian-2021Vol2 - Flipbook - Page 45
WE HONOUR, WE CELEBRATE, WE REMEMBER
Gay Welch
The First All Hallows’
Supermodel?
Long before the world discovered Miranda Kerr,
there was Gabrielle Welch, who was born in 1933 in
Paddington, Brisbane and attended All Hallows’ School
between 1942 and 1948.
In 1952, Gay travelled to London and enrolled at the
Lucy Clayton College for Ladies, which was Britain’s top
modelling agency at that time. Her career took off after
graduation when Gay was invited by Norman Hartnell,
the Queen’s dressmaker, to model a collection for the
Queen Mother.
Welch ultimately moved to Paris, where she was
scouted by Hubert de Givenchy while in the audience
of one of his shows. She went on to model for Coco
Chanel, who famously sacked all her models – except
Gay – at the end of the season.
Welch returned to Australia in the early 1960’s, living
in Sydney before settling on the Gold Coast where she
started her own modelling school.
While Gay became passionate about the environment
and promoting First Nations art internationally, her love
of fashion was a life-long passion.
When she passed away in 2016, her extraordinary and
significant haute couture collection which reflects the
changing role and image of women in the 20th century,
was gifted to the Queensland Museum.
It includes iconic designer garments and accessories
by Coco Chanel, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Vivienne
Westwood, Norman Hartnell, Pierre Balmain plus
photos, clippings and handwritten notes.
The Gay Welch Collection is currently being catalogued
and researched and will hopefully be available to the
public in the near future.
With kind assistance from Queensland Museum’s
Senior media Advisor, Kylie Hay and Assistant Curator
of Queensland Stories, Carmen Burton, and ABC
Brisbane
Images courtesy of Queensland Museum.
2021 | The Hallowian
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