Glamour gowns from the last century attracted about 270 people to the Black Tie from the Darnell Collection catwalk show in Dunedin's Golden Centre Mall last night. The sold-out event was centred around 12 outfits from the Australian collection, brought to iD by curator Charlotte Smith. Rosie Manins talked to Ms Smith about being bequeathed the priceless collection by her godmother Doris Darnell.
Most women can only dream about having enough outfits to wear each once, but for Charlotte Smith the dream is not just a reality - she makes it her motto.
''I never wear the same thing twice. It's very important to have a different outfit for everything you do.''
She inherited the Darnell Collection, based in Sydney, and has increased it to include about 8000 garments.
Many were kept by her American godmother, including designer dresses from the 19th century onwards - some worth thousands of dollars and almost all irreplaceable.
Ms Smith said she tried to keep vintage special by wearing collection pieces in conjunction with more understated modern garb.
In her private life, she might even be found wearing ''stylish'' track pants - ''none of those saggy-kneed baggy things''.
But, as the curator and face of the Darnell Collection, she was expected to look fabulous for public events and exhibitions.
''I can't be seen wearing the same gown, because people know I have so many. But I never wear anything my godmother gave me. I wear those that I buy.''
While the clothes themselves were special for their aesthetic and rarity, it was the stories about their creation and those who wore them that made them so interesting, Ms Smith said.
Her godmother, despite being a Quaker, loved fashion and wore clothes passed down by her mother and grandmother.
''She did it with such panache, she looked great. People loved the fact that she was keeping alive stories of her family by wearing those clothes, so they started giving her garments of theirs which had special meaning.''
From there, the collection grew.
''She was inadvertently telling the story of fashion history through the clothes. The collection is more than just a heap of vintage clothes - it's recording social history through fashion.''
Ms Smith planned to establish a permanent museum for the collection, or catalogue it online, and yearned to acquire a 1970s Valentino silk chiffon dress.
But her favourite pieces were by 1800s English designer Lucile (Lady Duff-Gordon), which were like ''spun sugar''.
''Her dresses were very feminine, like going to a country fair and buying candy floss. Made out of the most delicate silks and threads, they were as though made by a spider.''
For iD, Ms Smith shipped about 50kg of clothes to Dunedin, and brought another 33kg with her, but still found herself short.
''I didn't bring enough casual stuff. I've got all my glamour gowns but nothing to wear during the day, so I'll have to do some shopping while I'm here.''