High fashion for our highest court

It’s the highest court in the land, but that doesn’t make it immune to a little haute couture.

New Zealand’s Supreme Court judges have adopted new ceremonial robes, ditching their stuffy old wigs and red woollen medieval gowns in favour of something more Kiwi.

The new robes are a low-key Kiwi design of black silk and cotton with a print of kauri cones and leaves, as well as some embroidered flourishes.

Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias and her Supreme Court colleagues wore the new robes for the first time at the opening of Parliament yesterday.

Wellington artist Ros Bignell, who had the rare opportunity to design the new ceremonial robes, said they were created to be something that was ‘‘uniquely New Zealand’’.

The year-long design process required striking a balance between the prestige of the office and the Kiwi inclination to avoid pomp and circumstance.

‘‘The idea is to produce something that speaks of New Zealand heritage, of Ma¯ ori tradition,’’ Bignell said.

The judges also played designers by contributing conceptual ideas about what the new robes should represent. Bignell then translated their ideas into designs.

Her brief was to adapt the traditional black gowns worn by barristers and judges, which reflect New Zealand’s dual sources of law.

The silk and cotton robes feature a stylised kauri cone and leaves in a black-on-black weave.

The kauri pattern echoes the kauri design in the centre of the Supreme Court and is a representation of New Zealand and the courts as a shelter of the law.

Embroidered shoulder wings feature three kete, or baskets of knowledge.

Each basket contains a different dimension: te kete-tuatea (basket of light), te kete-tuauri (basket of darkness) and te kete-aronui (basket of pursuit).

The robes include a poutama pattern trim in red, black and gold.

Wigs are no longer worn during court proceedings in this country but ceremonial gowns are still worn at the opening of Parliament and admissions ceremonies.

Until now, judges have been wearing the 70-year-old ceremonial garments introduced from the High Court of England and Wales in the 1940s.

The new kiwiana robes will eventually be adopted by judges of the Court of Appeal and High Court.

PHOTO: KEVIN STENT/STUFF Supreme Court judges, from left, Justice Ellen France, Justice Mark O’Regan and Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias, wearing their new ceremonial robes, are led up Parliament steps by High Court registrar Jane Penney.