“Your humanity is more powerful than any act of nature.” – John Key On 4 September a year will have passed since the first large earthquake rocked Canterbury and the nation. To mark this event and the significant effect it has had on New Zealanders’ lives we would like to invite you toRead more
Its been great to receive so much positive feedback about Edwina Ehrman’s wonderful talk at Te Papa last week about Unveiled: 200 Years of Wedding Dress. From the comments we’ve received, it sounds like you are as excited as we are! Behind the scenes it was great to have Edwina hereRead more
The V&A’s stunning new exhibition on 200 years of wedding dress has just opened across the ditch at the Bendigo Art Gallery, which is about a two hour drive from Melbourne. ABC news filmed some of the installation and interviewed the curator, Edwina Ehrman. It provides a great preview of theRead more
The V&A’s wonderful wedding dress exhibition is just about to open in Bendigo, Australia. We are delighted that the exhibition’s curator, Edwina Ehrman has agreed to extend her trip to the Southern Hemisphere for a few extra days in order to pop across to Wellington. Next Tuesday evening, 9 August 2011,Read more
Interested in a nostalgic trip back in time to the heady fashion world of the 1960s? If so, please join myself and influential fashion icons and media women, Michal McKay and Jillian Ewart in conversation at Te Papa on 21 July at 6.30pm, as they recall the heady days of NewRead more
This week New Zealand in Vogue was installed in the Eyelights gallery on the 4th floor. Its simple 1960s lines replaces the razzle dazzle of Enriching Fashion. As I mentioned in my last post on Wool Week, the exhibition is inspired by Vogue New Zealand, the pages of which haveRead more
As the freshness of autumn turns into the chill of winter, it is time to dig out the winter woollies and the Ugg boots. Fittingly, this Friday kicks off ‘Wool Week’ (10-17 June). We are thrilled that Mary-Annette Hay, the subject of Te Papa’s 2007 exhibition Queen of Wool and whose elegant all-wool wardrobeRead more
We are currently in the throes of preparing for our upcoming exhibition New Zealand in Vogue, which opens in the Eyelights Gallery on 24 June. The exhibition is inspired by the decade during which New Zealand had its very own Vogue magazine – 1957 to 1968. The exhibition features garmentsRead more
As the day of the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton draws near, Te Papa too has found itself in the grip of ‘wedding fever’. While the media continues to whip themselves into a frenzy trying to uncover the bride’s best kept secret – the name of her dressRead more
The New Zealand Costume & Textile Association is a special interest group for the research and study of costume and textiles. Its membership draws together some of the country’s leading artists, curators, academics, researchers and textile conservators, along passionate collectors and enthusiasts. The annual symposium is a highlight of the organisation’sRead more
The museum sector is currently gearing up to its annual conference in Nelson in a couple of weeks. I am particularly excited about this year’s conference as one of my most favourite historians is making an appearance as a keynote speaker – Annabel Westman. Annabel is also going to present three publicRead more
I am currently working on a fashion exhibition entitled New Zealand in Vogue, the content and layout of which is inspired by Vogue New Zealand, which graced magazine stands between 1957 and 1968. Each case is inspired by a Vogue headline. One of my favourites is ‘Unbeatable All-Blacks’ – aRead more
As the History Team prepares to bring out William Colenso’s magnificent printing press for the forthcoming exhibition Oceania – Early Encounters (opening 6 August 2011), I am reminded that the Hawke’s Bay Museum & Art Gallery are planning ‘to celebrate the life and ideas of Colenso – one of the fathersRead more
When I first moved to Wellington I used to walk around the bays of the Mirimar Peninsula. My favourite bay was Worser Bay. I liked its name (worser than what?) but primarily I liked it because of a modest, single story house. The house was ordinary in everyway except forRead more
On Tuesday 20 July 2010 Gus Fisher ONZM passed away at the age of 89. While many people today recognise Gus Fisher as one of the country’s most generous and enthusiastic arts patron Gus first rose to national prominence in the world of high fashion. Gus Fisher was the creativeRead more
