Australian Museum Buys Historic French Haute Couture Collection

Canberra, Feb 9 (IANS) The National Gallery of Victoria in Australia announced on Tuesday its acquisition of one of the most coveted and historic fashion collections of the world that includes designs by icons Christian Dior and Coco Chanel.

The collection has designs by 130 artists - among them Vionnet and Jeanne Lanvin - from the 1800s to 2003, as well as rare workbooks and photography by Yves Saint Laurent and Madame Gres, Efe news reported.

The pieces were acquired for $984,858 from former couturier Dominique Sirop, who acquired the first piece when he was 14 years old - a 1945 Paquin black wool dress - with money borrowed from his grandmother.

He acquired the other pieces in different auctions in the US, Britain and France.