Rolex and Troye Sivan celebrate the arts at Melbourne’s NGV Gala

SOME BRANDS KEEP TIME. Others keep culture. Rolex has been doing both for decades — not loudly, but with the kind of steady presence that always seems to turn up at the world’s most defining cultural moments.

Take Melbourne’s NGV Gala. The black-tie bash is back this December with a new headline act: Troye Sivan, appointed as the event’s first-ever guest co-Chair. He’ll join Tony Ellwood AM, Director of the NGV, to oversee one of the country’s most dazzling nights out.

For the first time, Rolex steps in as Principal Partner — a move that cements its relationship with the NGV, which began last year when the brand was named the gallery’s official timepiece partner.

It’s a smart pairing. The Gala coincides with Westwood | Kawakubo, a blockbuster exhibition bringing together two of fashion’s most uncompromising rebels: Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo.

Expect more than 160 works, from punk tartan once thrashed by the Sex Pistols to Comme des Garçons’ infamous “Lumps and Bumps” pillow-dress, Rihanna’s petal gown, and a certain corseted wedding dress worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City: The Movie.

It’s fashion history with teeth, staged in Melbourne and celebrated with a party that’s previously drawn the likes of Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman and Elizabeth Olsen.

So why Rolex? “For over 50 years, Rolex has supported world-leading cultural institutions and exceptional artists through its Perpetual Arts Initiative.

This new partnership with the NGV Gala further reinforces Rolex’s commitment to the arts and cultural scene globally,” says Tony Ellwood. And he’s right. The Gala isn’t a one-off. It’s the Australian chapter in a global story Rolex has been writing for decades.

Consider Venice, where Rolex is the exclusive partner of the Venice Architecture Biennale, running until late November, 2025. The brand’s new pavilion, designed by Nigerien architect Mariam Issoufou, is a study in sustainability: Murano glass ceilings that shift colour throughout the day, terrazzo floors speckled with recycled Venetian glass, and a timber façade crafted to echo the fluted bezel of a Rolex case.

It’s at once local and global, old and new — proof that both watchmaking and architecture share the same fixation.

Then there’s Paris. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Palais Garnier, Rolex assembled a dream line-up of its Testimonees: tenor Juan Diego Flórez, pianist Yuja Wang, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, lyric tenor Rolando Villazón, and soprano Sonya Yoncheva — all performing with the Vienna Philharmonic under Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

The result? A night that proved why opera endures. Rolex in the wings, the long-time patron making sure the stage is ready not just for today’s greats, but for whoever comes next.

And, of course, Hollywood. Rolex is now synonymous with the Oscars — not just the red-carpet glamour, but the less-visible work of supporting filmmakers, cinematographers and preservationists who keep the medium alive long after the last acceptance speech has been cut off by the orchestra.

Step back and the pattern comes into focus. Rolex isn’t splashing logos for visibility; it’s curating culture with the same precision it gives an Oyster Perpetual. A dial in Venice, a crown in Paris, a bezel in Los Angeles — and now, a movement in Melbourne. Together they form a philosophy: that time, art and legacy are inseparable.

Which brings us to Troye Sivan. His role as NGV Gala co-Chair feels like a baton pass — a Melbourne pop star helping stage a celebration of two designers who never played by the rules.

With Rolex in the mix, the Gala isn’t just another big night out. It’s part of a bigger story — one that says culture doesn’t fade, it carries on.

Pre-sale tickets for the NGV Gala open exclusively to NGV subscribers, with general sales available now via the NGV website (ngv.melbourne/gala-subscribe).The NGV Gala takes place on Saturday 6 December at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

Westwood | Kawakubo will run from 7 December 2025 to 19 April 2026 at NGV International. Entry fees apply; tickets and details are available at ngv.melbourne.