Treasures of late designer online for all
Explore a treasure trove of fabulous frocks, hats, shoes and handbags from bygone eras in an online exhibition showcasing one of New Zealand’s most extensive collections of 20th-century fashion.
The Christchurch-based collection traces the glitz and glamour of past fashions, with hundreds of items from Kiwi designer Mollie Rodie Mackenzie’s expansive collection now available to view online.
Invercargill-born Mackenzie amassed one of New Zealand’s most comprehensive collections of 20th-century fashion.
Almost half of her 2000-strong garment collection can now be browsed on the Canterbury Museum’s Collections Online portal as a tribute to Mackenzie, who died last month in Queensland aged 100.
The collection includes nearly 800 accessories such as hats, shoes, handbags, gloves, necklaces, scarves, belts and neckties that complement the hundreds of dresses, jackets and shirts that Mackenzie collected in her lifetime.
Canterbury Museum’s human history curator, Dr Jill Haley, said the exhibition gave people a chance to view things that may not typically bag a spot on the museum floor.
It also highlighted ‘‘everyday items’’ that represented 20th-century style – silhouettes and swing dresses from the 1950s, leather and flares from the 1970s, and the bold and bright colours of the 1980s.
‘‘These are often under-represented in museum collections that have tended to favour high-end or special occasion garments, such as wedding dresses or christening gowns.’’
Haley said Mackenzie’s collection was a ‘‘treasure trove, put together by someone with an expert eye’’.
Her favourite pieces are a 1970s leather bag and a 1980s after-perm conditioning kit. ‘‘Nothing speaks to the 80s like the home perm, but who holds on to a kit for that long? If you saw some of these things in a secondhand shop somebody would snap them up.’’
Mackenzie trained in art and began her working life in 1937 in a Wellington fashion house where she learnt about fabrics, patterns, and garment design and wear.
Over her career she wrote columns and features and provided illustrations for New Zealand newspapers, and also illustrated fashion advertisements for Christchurch’s Ballantynes Department Store.
Canterbury Museum purchased the collection in 1984.