WOW! Global pop superstar coming to Kildare next month

Global music and style icon Boy George is set to bring a major fashion exhibition to Newbridge Silverware in Kildare next month, offering fans a rare glimpse into one of pop culture’s most distinctive wardrobes.

The exhibition, Boy George: Chameleon of Style, will open at the Museum of Style Icons on May 2 and run until June 1.

It will feature a striking collection of the singer’s most famous garments, hats and stage-worn pieces, many of which have never been publicly displayed before.

Organisers say the showcase represents the only public viewing of the collection anywhere in the world before it travels to Beverly Hills, where it will be auctioned later this summer.

Born George Alan O’Dowd in London to Irish parents, Boy George has long maintained strong links to Ireland. His mother, Dinah, was born in Dublin, while his family roots also trace back to County Tipperary. That heritage, along with his upbringing in a creative household, helped shape the bold and expressive style that would later define his global image.

Among the most personal items on display is a purple plaid outfit made by his mother, a seamstress, offering visitors an intimate insight into the early influences behind his fashion identity. His family history also includes a connection to Irish revolutionary Thomas Bryan, one of the “Forgotten Ten” executed during the War of Independence.

Rising to fame in the 1980s as frontman of Culture Club, Boy George became a defining figure of the New Romantic movement, blending music, fashion and performance into a singular artistic expression. His androgynous style and flamboyant stage presence helped redefine the visual language of pop.

The Kildare exhibition charts that evolution through a curated selection of standout pieces. Highlights include iconic headwear by Irish designer Philip Treacy, the yellow outfit worn during a performance of Karma Chameleon on The Late Show with David Letterman, and a dramatic headdress worn at Wembley Arena in 1984.

Also featured are more recent pieces, including a couture jacket by Jean Paul Gaultier and a distinctive bowler hat worn during Boy George’s appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, reflecting the continued evolution of his style across decades.

The collection forms part of Bold Luxury: Boy George Edit, which will be sold by Julien’s Auctions.