Named one of Ireland’s top five free visitor attractions by Failte Ireland is the Museum of Style Icons (M.O.S.I.). Located in Newbridge Silverware Visitor Centre, in County Kildare. It is one of the most unique collections of fashion and cinema memorabilia in the world.
Museum of Style Icons hosts numerous collections and artifacts relating to Stars of the Silver Screen and many modern-day artists. Including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Princess Grace, Princess Diana, Greta Garbo, Ava Gardner, Barbra Streisand, Tippi Hedren, Ingrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, the Beatles, and many more.
It houses the largest known collection of Audrey Hepburn garments in the world.
There is clothing worn by Greta Garbo in one of her 33 films. There are two outfits that were owned by Princess Grace and they are her only outfits outside of Monaco Palace.
Another gem in the collection is an orange wool two-piece costume worn by Barbara Streisand in “Funny Girl”. Balenciaga gown for Ava Gardner. Purple and red ball gown with a bolero by Catherine Walker designed for Princess Diana. Audrey Hepburn’s famous “little black dress” worn in “Roman Vacation”.
William Doyle created the current M.O.S.I (Museum Of Style Icons).
An Irish businessman, millionaire, and currently the head of the entire Newbridge Silverware. Doyle grew up in County Kildare and was educated at Newbridge College. He studied business and economics at Trinity College in Dublin. He took over as the head of Newbridge Silverware after the death of his father, Dominic Doyle in 1993. In 2007, the company had a turnover of € 27 million. Newbridge Silverware brand ambassadors were, among others Yasmin Le Bon, Sophie Dahl, Ronan O’Gara, Rob Kearney, Rozanna Purcell, and Amy Huberman. Initially, the costumes purchased by William Doyle constituted his private collection until it was transformed into the Museum of Style Icons.
In 2007, the Museum of Style Icons was established at the Newbridge Silverware store.
The amazing thing is that all these costumes and exhibits are original. From specific movies, movie sets, or private things worn by stars, actresses, and models. Millions of dollars worth of dresses, clothes, and things that the millionaire owner of Newbridge Silverware has been buying and collecting for years. As a result, the only such rich collection in the world, available to visitors, was created.
The exhibitions at the Museum Of Style Icons are variable. So it is worth visiting the Museum even several times a year. And each time we will find something different, new, and interesting. There is also always one leading exhibition dedicated to a specific star, style, era, and movie. For example, there was an exhibition of the entire collection of Audrey Hepburn’s costumes and exhibits related to her person. And the Museum displayed the most popular films from Audrey Hepburn, such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, My Fair Lady, and Roman Holiday. A paradise for Audrey Hepburn fans.
The museum itself is not big but it makes a great impression. And you can spend a lot of time there, watching, admiring, reading a story. Practically every dress has its own history described on the displays and told by the lector. Some dresses and costumes are just as famous as the people who wear them. Like Princess Diana’s wedding dress, or Michael Jackson’s gauntlet.
Music and lights that change colors create an amazing atmosphere there.
You can walk between exhibitions or sit comfortably on the sofas and admire. It is interesting that you can admire costumes from many years ago as well as modern clothes. Marilyn Monroe, Ave Gardner, right next to Angelina Jolie, Beyonce, and Kim Kardashian.
In addition to the permanent collection, additional exhibitions lasting several weeks are often held here.
A new exhibition dedicated to the life and work of legendary Irish comedian Brendan Grace has opened at the Museum of Style Icons. ‘Brendan Grace and Bottler, The Liberty Boys’ features costumes, and garments worn by Brendan Grace during the course of his illustrious 50-year career.
Location of Museum Of Style Icons:
Below are photos I took in September 2021.
