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Te Papa Eyes Versace Designs

WELLINGTON -- It was the dress that made British actor Elizabeth Hurley famous when she wore it to a film premiere.

Now the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa, wants to bring the famous safety-pin dress to New Zealand. It will be part of an exhibition of designs by murdered fashion designer Gianni Versace.

Te Papa is negotiating with the Fondazione Antonio Ratti to exhibit a selection of Versace's designs, which cover theatre, opera, and ballet, as well as haute couture and pret-a-porter clothing. The Fondazione created the Versace exhibition at Miami's Museum of Contemporary Art.

The museum is also negotiating with Wellington film maker Peter Jackson' s production company, Wingnut Films, to develop an exhibition based on his Lord of the Rings trilogy. The exhibition would open in stages to coincide with the release of each film.

An exhibition looking at the 1977 punk revolution is planned, as well as a selection of works by the great impressionist artist Claude Monet.