3AW Melbourne radio comperes Peter Ellis and Judy Willing gush over a 'superb' Paris frock worn by Helen Wiseman at The Stork Club in Melbourne in 1947.

By 1955, although Europe was still highly influential, the focus had shifted to Australian designers and Australian-made fashion.

French mannequins (models) Lydia Leplat, Janine Lequievre, Suzanne Combe and Maggy Sarragne arrive by sea plane at Rose Bay before performing a runway show at Mark Foy’s department store in 1947.

A series of brides and bridesmaids enter this Mark Foy's fashion parade as if stepping out of a gilt-edge picture frame, before smiling for the camera.

Mark Foy's department store's iconic Liverpool Street store in Sydney, dubbed 'The Piazza', is the setting for this French-themed fashion parade in 1956.

The Australian Woman's Weekly magazine brings together top French and Australian models ('mannequins') with the latest Paris fashions at Sydney's Trocadero nightclub in 1948.

In a huge moment for Australian fashion, this was the first time original fashions designed by Christian Dior were seen outside Paris.

Having worked with Guy Pearce on Neighbours in the 1980s, Kylie leapt at the chance to appear alongside him in Stephan Elliott’s 2017 Australian film Swinging Safari.

Costume designer Marion Boyce talks about one of the central themes of The Dressmaker (Jocelyn Moorhouse, Australia, 2015) being the use of fashion as a weapon for Tilly's reveng

This is an excerpt from Fashion Parades at Mark Foy’s (1947–56), Film Australia Collection © NFSA.