Doris Raymond was running out of superlatives to describe the Eden Hore Fashion Collection.
''Outstanding'', ''unbelievable'', ''amazing'' and ''incredible'' were some she used as a selection of garments were revealed to her, one by one, at Central Stories Museum in Alexandra on Sunday.
The international guest at iD Dunedin Fashion Week was impressed by what she saw of the collection, bought by the Central Otago District Council in 2013.
''I see a lot of clothing, but this is outstanding. This is like Christmas for me,'' she enthused.
Ms Raymond is the star of NHNZ's L. A. Frock Stars which is put together by executive producer Judith Curran.
They were allowed a special viewing of some of the Eden Hore collection, which is held in controlled atmosphere storage at Central Stories.
The council spent $40,000 on the 276-item collection - a controversial purchase at the time - and a feasibility study is being carried out into options for housing, curating and displaying it.
The 1970s and 1980s garments were collected by Naseby farmer Eden Hore and displayed at his property.
When he died, Mr Hore left them to his nephew, John Steele.
Mr Steele retired from the property in 2013 because of ill-health and offered the collection to the council in the hope it would remain intact and be displayed in the Maniototo.
Ms Raymond is an expert on fashion history and owner of Los Angeles vintage fashion outlet The Way We Wore.
''This collection is a piece of history ... if ever the council decided they didn't want it, I'd be more than happy to take it off their hands,'' she said. Council brand manager Shirley Howden said the story behind each outfit should be displayed with the garment.
''You have to be able to embrace the eccentricity of the collection, it's unbelievable gold,'' Ms Raymond said.
She praised the council for buying the collection.
''It's not just a regional treasure. It's a national treasure.''
She said Eden Hore would make a great subject for a documentary.
