Hamiltonians who have been hoarding items of clothing from bygone eras could have their old favourites officially become part of New Zealand’s fashion history.

Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato is the go-to place for followers of fashion on 18-19 August, with a series of events in conjunction with the New Zealand Fashion Museum and Wintec’s School of Media Arts.

On 18 August, a pop-up photography studio will give local fashion collectors the opportunity to have their New Zealand-made garments and accessories professionally photographed to be considered for inclusion in the New Zealand Fashion Museum’s online collection.

Established in 2010, the New Zealand Fashion Museum is a digital repository of the rich history of New Zealand’s innovative fashion design and its contribution to our popular culture, with more than 1,650 garments photographed and catalogued for education and research purposes in its online museum.

"Our pop-up photoshoots are a way for us to capture the New Zealand fashion garments that are truly special to their owners,” says NZ Fashion Museum’s Kelly Dix. “We photograph them for our online collection, and publish them alongside the story of the maker or the garment owner."

The Fashion Weekend was designed to complement Waikato Museum’s two fashion exhibitions open until 14 October.

Be Persuaded: A Jane Austen Experience from the Dressing Australia Museum of Costume features genuine clothing from the Regency era at the beginning of the 19th century, styled as characters created in Jane Austen’s revered fiction.

Elle and the Youthquake: The Changing Face of Fashion, developed by the New Zealand Fashion Museum, celebrates the creations and career of Hamilton’s Wendy Ganley who established the pioneering label and boutique Elle in the 1960s.

On 19 August, Ganley will be joined by fellow Kiwi fashion icon, Doris de Pont, for a Q&A session and tour of the Elle exhibition. de Pont will then lead a hands-on workshop and practice session demonstrating the DIY essentials of clothes conservation: how to sew a button, take up a hem and wash your woollens and delicates.

Over both days, an exhibition of work by Wintec fashion design students will be on display in Waikato Museum’s foyer.

Waikato Museum Director Cherie Meecham says the events are not to be missed by fashion fans.

“This is the first chance for Hamiltonians to have their wardrobe classics added to the New Zealand Fashion Museum,” she says.

“Between Wendy Ganley and the Wintec fashion students, we have the pick of Waikato’s fashion past and present.”

• Pop-Up Photography Studio, 18 August 2018, 10am – 5pm. Email hello@nzfashionmuseum.org.nz for more details and to book a time.
• Conversation and Gallery Tour with Wendy Ganley, 19 August 2018, 1pm – 2.30pm.
• Emergency First Aid for your Clothes, 19 August 2018, 2.30pm – 3.30pm.
• Wintec Future Fashionista’s Exhibition, 18-19 August, 10am – 5pm.

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