Curatorial Conversations: Curating Fashion with Katie Somerville

The Curatorial Conversations Series enables curatorial students and emerging curators to hear about the career journeys of curators and collection managers. Invited specialists will discuss their careers and personal development, how they secured their roles, learnings from their career journey, and insights into significant curatorial projects.

Join Katie Somerville, NGV Senior Curator of Fashion and Textiles for an interactive discussion as she shares highlights from her curatorial journey, and ‘behind the scenes’ insights into some of her key exhibitions including: Martin Grant (2025), Alexander McQueen, Mind, Mythos, Muse (2022), The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture (2017), Express Yourself: Romance Was Born for Kids (2014), and Akira Isogawa: Printemps-Été (2004).

Katie Somerville is the Senior Curator of Fashion and Textiles at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). Katie has worked with a range of fashion and textiles collections for more than three decades, including at the National Gallery of Australia and Historic Houses Trust of NSW. She joined the curatorial department at the NGV in 1995, working across both the Australian and International collection. She currently manages the research and development of the Fashion and Textiles collection and the Campbell-Pretty Fashion Research Collection along with the ongoing program of publications and exhibitions for the Fashion and Textiles Department.

Your ticket includes tea or Market Lane coffee served before the presentation, and time to browse our exclusive range of books, gifts, and homewares at TJC Emporium.

This event is presented on-site at The Johnston Collection. Please see your ticket for details. NOTE: Tickets for this event do not include access to our exhibition-house, Fairhall. Guided tours of the current exhibition can be booked separately.

This program is generously supported by The Sir Wilfred and C H (Roger) Brookes Charitable Trust.

Image: Portrait of Katie Somerville, supplied by presenter.