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Museum of New Zealand

Te Papa Tongarewa

Fashioning ourselves: clothing, identity and culture

From woollens to workwear, pōtae to Panamas, feathers to fur, and khakis to korowai, the styles, phases, and industry of fashion plays a big part in Aotearoa New Zealand’s identity.

Explore stories that highlight the influences, industry, and imagination of fashion in New Zealand through our collections, exhibitions and research.

Starfish clothing on Collections Online

In March 2024, the Starfish fashion collection archive – containing over 1,900 images – was added to Collections Online. Reminisce about your favourite design, or piece of clothing you may have owned yourself, from the label founded by Laurie Foon in 1993.

Starfish: An unexpected journey

It’s not every day that you get to delve into the nitty-gritty details of a fashion label. In 2017, Te Papa’s then assistant archivist Gareth Watkins delved into Starfish’s archive, gifted to Te Papa. Read the series of blog posts.

Feathermania: Fashion to Die For

From the 1850s to the 1910s, feathers were the height of fashion – worn by royalty, military men, debutantes and fashionable women alike. Opening soon: 26 Jun 2021 to late April 2022.

Closed

5 Jul 2021 – 6 Jun 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Blog: Feathermania: Fashion to die for

Read Curator Claire Regnault description of some of the objects in the Feathermania: Fashion to die for exhibition in more detail, including some of the problems associated with the popularity of rare bird feathers and the impact on their population as well as society.

Dressed: Fashionable dress in Aotearoa New Zealand 1840 to 1910

When crinolines, bustles and ostrich feathers were the height of colonial fashion – from ball gowns and riding habits to tea gowns and dresses worn for presentation to Queen Victoria.

How to care for textiles and kākahu (Māori cloaks)

Textiles that are made from plant material, often harakeke (flax), or animal material such as wool, feathers, or hair usually require careful attention. Find out about prolonging the life of your treasured textiles and clothing by storing and treating them appropriately.

Watch: Designing wedding garments for ‘Unveiled: 200 Years of Wedding Fashion’

Watch interviews with New Zealand designers including Francis Hooper, Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, and Benny Castles, whose designs were exhibited in 'Unveiled: 200 Years of Wedding Fashion' during the summer of 2011–2012.

Rātana Church and Mita Ririnui: The colours of service

Read about how uniforms are of great importance to the Rātana Church, especially as visual signifiers of the specific roles and duties of the wearer.

Mu‘umu‘u styles from a Cook Islands mama

Pacific Cultures curator Safua Akeli talks about the mu‘umu‘u (dress) worn in the Cook Islands and those acquired by the Pacific Cultures collection in 2009 from Tepaeru Tereora.

The Cook Islands cowboys: Swagger in the Pacific

Was the ‘Cook Islands Cowboy’. Was this merely a case of photographic staging or was there more to these island outlaws?

The power of lace – making European Splendour 1500-1800

Justine Olsen, curator of decorative art and design discusses the fine process of conserving and preparing lace for display.

Smokin’! When cigarettes and fashion went hand in hand

Before cigarette advertising was banned in New Zealand, Benson & Hedges enjoyed a close relationship with the fashion industry. Read about the role tobacco played in the Fashion Design Awards.

Collecting the spirit of Hawai'i through aloha shirts

New Zealand and Pacific collections intern Sonya Withers and history curator Claire Regnault recently travelled to Hawai'i where they collected 83 aloha shirts with a focus on indigenous Hawaiian designers. Claire Regnault reflects on the connection these designers have with their natural environment and how this inspires their designs.

Whatu Kākahu | Māori Cloaks (Second Edition)

A celebration of the science and art of Māori weaving, focused on the largest collection of Māori cloaks in the world.

Drag in 1970s New Zealand

In this excerpt from Mates & Lovers, Chris Brickell explores the vibrant world of drag culture in New Zealand, when drag ‘jumped off the stage and into the streets’.

Threading history through the Aloha shirt: From Hawai‘i to Aotearoa

The Aloha shirt is an iconic Hawaiian taonga (treasure) with a rich history and layers of meaning. Assistant Pacific Cultures curator Sonya Withers explores the stories in their designs.

The importance of wool in New Zealand

From farm to fashion, New Zealanders have been growing, shearing, manufacturing, exporting, crafting, and wearing wool for 150 years. Read about the history of wool and its influence on Collections Online.

Clothing the Pandemic (ICOM Solidarity Project)

Connecting international museums and curators documenting and contextualising the use of facemasks during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020–21.

Research project: Fashionable Dress in Aotearoa New Zealand 1840 to 1910

A deep-dive into themes, concepts and stories of fashionable women’s dress in Aotearoa New Zealand from 1840 to the early 1900s.

Mary Annette Hay and the International Wool Secretariat Collection

Entrepreneurial women and wool in post-war New Zealand clothing industry.

Mary Annette Hay on Collections Online

Read about entrepreneurial women and wool in post-war New Zealand clothing industry.

Poster Balls: a new ‘species of fancy dress’

In 1900, a new type of fundraising ball caused a sensation in Australia, and made headlines across New Zealand – it was called a ‘Poster Ball’ and while one reporter described it as a new ‘species of fancy dress’, another accurately called it ‘a new phase of advertising’ – read about what it entailed.

Meeting John Clarke, and cleaning Fred Dagg’s gumboots for customs

Curator Stephanie Gibson recounts the story of how Te Papa acquired beloved Kiwi everyman Fred Dagg’s iconic outfit.

Fans on Collections Online

Fixed or feathery, painted or paper, woven or wooden, you'll find all sorts of fans in our collection.

Quiz: Togs through time

Guess the decade of these bathing suits throughout history.

Uniforms in fashion

From battlefield to sports field, church to catwalk, schoolyard to street ... uniforms are everywhere. Take a look at some of our collections.

Conserving and dressing 18th century dresses

Textile conservator Anne Peranteau, and costume mount maker Sam Gatley describe the process of preparing two 18th century dresses for display in an exhibition.

Bathing suits and beach fashion

Bathing suits, beachwear, togs, swimsuits, cozzies, and budgie-smugglers over time.

Watch: In conversation with fashion designer Lindah Lepou

Lindah Lepou talks about being a fa’faafine designer, her spirituality, and the evolution of Pacific and Māori couture.

Bring on the bum roll… Dressing for Splendour

Surgical enhancement to make bottoms bigger seems to be all the rage recently. In the 18th century ladies simply paid a visit to her local ‘bum-shop’ to purchase something a little less painful – a tie-on bum-roll.

The Swanndri® bush shirt

Now a kiwi icon, worn by everyone from farmhands to city dwellers, this checked bush shirt is as recognisable as jandals or gumboots. See more on Collections Online.