Te Papa presents a playful and vibrant take on colour in fashion in its latest textile exhibition in the Eyelights Gallery, Level 4, from 26 September. Entry is free.
Colours: Moments in Fashion celebrates the importance of colour in fashion design, taking six colours and showcasing over 50 objects from Te Papa’s history collection. Spanning 150 years of Western textile fashion, the exhibition shows stunning garments by top New Zealand fashion designers WORLD, Tanya Carlson and Miranda Brown alongside sumptuous European fashions from the 19th and 20th centuries. Stylish swimsuits, hats, bags and footwear in a range of rich hues complement the garments arranged in themed colour cases.
The origins of natural and synthetic textile dyes, the psychology of colour, and how colour trends are formed in the fashion industry are also touched on in the exhibition.
Angela Lassig, Te Papa’s Senior History Curator, says that the choice of colours shown in the exhibition reflects the collection’s strengths.
‘We chose the themes of black, red, pink, orange, yellow and blue because the collection had such a fascinating juxtaposition of objects and hues from across a broad time period,’ Ms Lassig said. ‘The black case is especially interesting for its differing treatments of textures while, funnily enough, garments from the 1970s are a big feature of the orange case!’
From wedding dresses to feathered fans, children’s outfits to evening gowns, Colours: Moments in Fashion is a visual feast − and definitely a must-see for visitors to the World of Wearable Arts.
Colours: Moments in Fashion
Eyelights Gallery, Level 4
26 September – September 2009
Te Papa
Free entry
> More about the exhibition
Download a printable version (pdf, 77 kB)