More iconic Kylie costumes and accessories on display at the Australian Music Vault

“When you can’t find the music 
To get down and boogie 
All you can do is step back in time 
Ball of confusion 
When nothing is new and 
There’s nothing doin’ 
Step back in time.” 

The above lyrics from Kylie Minogue’s Step Back in Time couldn’t ring truer than today, when pop music is in such a shambolic state, and sounding so oversaturated (save for a few of Kylie’s own songs, that is), all we can do is revert to the past to enjoy great, well-structured pop.

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In doing so, the icons that delivered such brilliant pop music should also be tributed, and so it is that the Australian Music Vault is proud to honour ‘Princess of Pop’ and recent winner of the Ted Albert Award, Kylie Minogue, with a new display featuring archival material drawn from the Australian Performing Arts Collection and other sources.

In this display, Kylie lovers will find iconic objects and photos from her music videos and tours that will ignite nostalgia and excitement.

Kylie’s creative journey has always been celebrated by her fans, and this display will allow them to get up close to significant moments in her career.

Included in the display is a multicoloured sequined bodysuit designed by Ian McMaugh, worn during the Enjoy Yourself tour (1990), the mugshot identification board for ‘Indie Kylie’ in the video for ‘Did It Again’ (1997) and her Azzedine Alaïa designed shoes worn in the music video for ‘Chocolate’ (2004). Also on display is the Stephen Jones designed cowboy hat worn to promote the single ‘Cowboy Style’ (1997) plus a selection of her signature Dolce & Gabbana jewellery worn during the KylieFever 2002 tour.

It’s just been announced, too, that more costumes have been added to the exhibit, with the display now featuring garments from Kylie’s clips ‘Hand on Your Heart’, ‘Did It Again’, ‘On A Night Like This’, ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’, ‘I Believe In You’ and ‘All the Lovers’.

Photos by Jason Lau.

Says Australian Music Vault curator Olivia Jackson: “The format of music videos – with special effects, lighting and editing – allowed Minogue to experiment with more adventurous costumes, themes and narratives that would be otherwise difficult to convey in live performance.”

Jackson adds that Kylie’s videos have helped define her status as a global pop star with her back catalogue revealing a journey through the world of pop culture, an evolution of aesthetics, personas and creativity.

Kylie’s ongoing commitment to her craft has continued to garner recognition including Helpmann Awards, MTV Awards,ARIA Hall of Fame inductee, Officer of the Order of Australia,and much more. In 2024, Time listed her amongst some of the 100 most influential people in the world and she secured her first residency in Las Vegas.

In addition to her renown as a recording artist, Kylie is known for her exceptional live performances. She is currently on her Tension tour, which began in Perth on 15 February 2025 and will see her play 70 shows across the world by the time it finishes up.

All of the objects included in this display have been drawn from the Australian Performing Arts Collection at Arts Centre Melbourne. The Kylie Minogue Collection, which started as a single costume donation in 1991, today includes over 300 costumes and accessories, alongside other material related to her concert tours. Spanning over 20 years of Kylie’s career, the collection provides a comprehensive record of her extraordinary success as a world-famous performer and recording artist.