The Orry-Kelly: Dressing Hollywood Gala is fast approaching. 

On 26 July, Kiama will celebrate a man who, despite his incredible achievements, remains largely forgotten in his home town.

Arguably, no other Kiama local has reached the levels of international success that Orry-Kelly achieved.

He designed costumes for more than 300 films, including cinematic masterpieces such as Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, Some Like It Hot, An American in Paris, and Les Girls. 

He won three Academy Awards for costume design - making him the most Oscar-awarded Australian until Catherine Martin won her fourth in 2013.

Orry-Kelly counted legends like Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, and Barbara Stanwyck among his friends. 

When he died, his pallbearers included Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Billy Wilder, and George Cukor. His eulogy was delivered by none other than Jack L. Warner.

He was also openly gay in Hollywood from the 1930s through to the 1960s - a bold and dangerous truth in that era.

He’s even rumoured to have had a romantic relationship with Cary Grant.

With a résumé like that, Orry-Kelly deserves to be celebrated as one of Australia’s most remarkable talents.

And yet, despite all this, he remains a footnote - overlooked not just by Australia at large, but by Kiama itself.

Over the past year, I’ve written numerous articles about him, trying to share his story and ignite some pride.

But it still feels like the weight of his achievements isn’t being fully appreciated.

Perhaps this story hits home for me because I’m also from the Illawarra and dream of working in the film industry. I understand how difficult that path is - especially coming from a small coastal town.

But I also think it points to a broader issue: Australia’s struggle to celebrate its own. 

Take the Elvis Festival in Parkes - a huge annual event for an American star who never even set foot in Australia.

I’m not suggesting that Orry-Kelly is comparable to Elvis Presley, but I will say this: Orry-Kelly was one of our own, and his legacy deserves more.

So, I hope Kiama takes notice on 26 July, a date that will also mark the unveiling of Orry-Kelly’s NSW Blue Plaque, part of the state government’s initiative to honour influential historical figures.

It will also coincide with the 10th anniversary of Gillian Armstrong’s brilliant documentary Women He’s Undressed, which brought Orry-Kelly’s story to a new generation.

If you didn’t get a ticket to the Gala, I encourage you to visit the exhibition at the Assembly Hall in The Sebel.

Tickets are just $10, and you’ll see original costumes, artwork, and tributes to a man who quietly helped shape Hollywood history.

My hope is that this becomes a lasting tradition for Kiama - to celebrate someone who defied the odds and took our small town all the way to the City of Stars.