New Zealand poet Eileen Duggan celebrated in upcoming fashion talk

Junette Ward in the textile room at the museum, preparing the 1920s dress for display. Photo / Karen Hughes

The Whanganui Regional Museum has selected a dress worn by well-known New Zealand poet Eileen Duggan (1894-1972) for the upcoming Outfit of the Month exhibit.

Grace Burgess, a longtime personal friend of Duggan, donated the dress to the museum in 1984.

Kaihāpai Taonga/Collection Manager Trish Nugent-Lyne said the dress is distinctly 1920s-style, with its long bodice and short skirt. The mustard-gold colour of the dress was also very popular in the 1920s.

Kaiārahi Manuhiri/Visitor Services team member Junette Ward, also a textile specialist, has been preparing the fragile dress for display. She is pleased to see the Outfit of the Month series highlighting important pieces in the museum’s extensive fashion and textile collection,

“It’s lovely that this wonderful collection in the museum is getting more of the attention it deserves.”

Nugent-Lyne will present the dress with a lunchtime fashion talk at 12.15pm on Friday, September 29, in the museum. Entry is free, though koha is always appreciated. No booking is required, and all are welcome – meet in the atrium. The dress will then be on display in the museum throughout October.

■ Founded in 1892, the Whanganui Regional Museum is internationally renowned for its Taonga Māori Collection. Located in Pukenamu Queen’s Park, visitors can view the exceptional creations of tūpuna (ancestors) of Whanganui tāngata whenua (indigenous people) alongside a changing exhibition programme encompassing a world-class collection of natural and human history, with a regional emphasis. The ground-level boutique museum store sells a range of local and Māori jewellery, books, cards, art and other New Zealand-made gift items.

The Whanganui Regional Museum Trust is an independent legal entity that owns the collection and governs the development of the museum on behalf of the Whanganui community.

It is open to visitors daily from 10am to 4.30pm (except Christmas Day and Good Friday) and entry is free. Koha is always appreciated.

Connect with Whanganui Regional Museum at www.wrm.org.nz or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Subject: Junette Ward in the textile room at the Museum, preparing the 1920s dress for display.

Photo credit: Karen Hughes/Whanganui Regional Museum