How Kylie Minogue became one of pop’s ultimate chameleons
A new book examines how Kylie Minogue used fashion to shape her public image, from her early years on Ramsay Street and her 1988 debut album cover to a sequined minidress worn at the 1989 Australian premiere of The Delinquents. The account presents clothing as central to her transformation from television actor to global pop star.
A new book examines Kylie Minogue’s rise from Ramsay Street to global stardom through her use of fashion.
Before Minogue had control over her image, she appeared as Neighbours character Charlene in a peak-1980s silk taffeta and lace wedding dress. On the cover of her first album, released in 1988, she wore a topless hat with cascading curls.
At the Australian premiere of The Delinquents on 20 December 1989, Minogue wore a custom sequined noughts-and-crosses minidress by Australian designers Morrissey Edmiston and a cropped blond wig. She also arrived with Michael Hutchence of INXS.
The book describes fashion as a tool Minogue used to transform, subvert and shock as her career developed.
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
How much control did Minogue have over her image at different stages of her career?
What commercial incentives shaped the use of fashion in presenting Minogue to the public?
Which parts of the book’s account rely on clothing, and which rely on Minogue’s music or acting?
How might the interpretation change if the perspective of the designers were included?
YOUR QUESTION
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GLOBAL CURIOSITY MAP · AUGUST 2026