Book Launch | The Dress Circle: New Zealand Fashion Design Since 1940

Webb's are proud to present the launch of The Dress Circle: New Zealand Fashion Design Since 1940 by authors Douglas Lloyd Jenkins, Claire Regnault & Lucy Hammonds on Tuesday 26th October, 6-8pm in association with Random House New Zealand.

THE DRESS CIRCLE: NEW ZEALAND FASHION SINCE 1940

New fashion book reveals a history of sharp business, colourful personalities, pioneering designers and an exciting design culture. 

A couturiere who ran the infamous Ring Terrace brothel, Kiwi men baulking at the loss of cuff turn-ups during war-time rationing, the fashion impresario who was spat on in Queen St for her “provocative” dress sense, and one of our greatest All Blacks who had his own women’s fashion label are just some of the wonderful revelations in a new book which celebrates the history of Kiwi fashion design. 

Exquisitely illustrated, ‘The Dress Circle: New Zealand Fashion Design since 1940’ inserts seven decades of history into the family tree of New Zealand fashion design. It showcases the talents and undeniable flair of a wide range of New Zealand fashion designers, from the well-known to those who have slipped out of the public eye. 

The story of our fashion history is a fascinating one and who better to tell it than Douglas Lloyd Jenkins, who unlocked the story of our modern architecture with his Montana award-wining book ‘At Home’ and accompanying TV series, together with Te Papa’s Claire Regnault and The Hawkes Bay Museum and Art Gallery’s Lucy Hammonds. 

These three curators, who collectively have a great deal of expertise in both textiles and fashion, have spent hours of their own time fossicking amongst photo archives, delving into records, leafing through old magazines and interviewing key players in order to capture the full and rich story which, until now, has pretty much remained untold in its entirety. 

- Random House New Zealand.


The book will be available from Webb's at a special launch price of $60 (RRP $75) from Tuesday 26th October. 

For further information contact Renee Tanner.