A 19th-century tea gown and a beanie belonging to the late Ralph Hotere are among historical garments being unveiled to the public as part of a rare tour at Tuhura Otago Museum.
Two basement tours of the museum’s dress collection storeroom are scheduled this week during iD Dunedin Fashion Week — which begins today.
Honorary curator Dr Jane Malthus said tours of the basement were "relatively rare" and were limited due to space.
People loved to see the storeroom, until they realised all the garments were packed into boxes.
"We love to display them though, so when we can get the opportunity to put them out on a form and show people, that's fantastic."
About 20 garments had been selected for viewing — one of the oldest being a tea gown made of a paisley shawl dating back to the 1880s.
A collection of men’s embroidered smoking caps along with a beanie that once belonged to the late New Zealand artist Ralph Hotere, from about the 1990s, would also make an appearance.
Most of the garments were stored flat, wrapped in acid-free tissue paper and kept at a controlled temperature.
Dr Malthus hoped viewers would appreciate "the range of things that people call fashion at various times", and the quality to which the garments had been kept.
"Most things are in storage most of the time and only come out for exhibitions at certain times, but that's the kind of nature of textiles."
The tour is available today and Thursday.
