The Fashion & Design collection of the Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants’ clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Items in the collection were largely produced for, or purchased by women in Melbourne, and includes examples of outerwear, protective wear, nightwear, underwear and costume accessories.Black crepe bodice with front opening featuring numerous buttons, covered with the same fabric as the bodic. It has short sleeves and a square scalloped neck line.australian fashion - 1940s, costumes - bodices, fashion design, fashion -- 1940s

Lily and William Wishart lived during this period in 'Noranook', Fernhurst grove, Kew. There are numerous contemporary accounts of the social and civic activities of Lily Wishart as mayoress of Kew. In a description of a 'Mayoral At Home' in the Kew Recreation Hall, a report in The Australasian (10 Aug 1907, p.46) described the event thus: MAYORAL AT HOME In the Kew Recreation-hall on Thursday evening the Mayor and Mrs. W. Wishart gave an at home to between two and three hundred guests. ... Prior to the musical programme, the mayor and mayoress held a reception, standing on a dais at one side of the room. Mrs. Wishart was gowned in black glace silk, trimmed with handsome lace applique, and she wore a cream Maltese lace scarf over her shoulders, and held a bouquet of cardinal carnations.' This may be the dress in the collection. Another interesting and relevant report is an account in The Argus (19 March 1907, p.6): 'WOMEN'S WORK EXHIBITION The mayoress of Kew (Mrs. W. Wishart) invited the ladies of the district to meet in the mayor's room, town-hall, Kew, at half past 3 o'clock tomorrow afternoon, to consider steps to be taken locally in support of the proposed Exhibition of Women's Work.'The dress is locally significant as the work of a skilled home-dressmaker in Kew, who was also a leading civic figure in the municipality. One tends to think of amateur dressmakers as women who could not afford to purchase clothes from a retailer. Clearly, 'women's work' and the skills that educated and wealthy women acquired in the period allowed them to fashion their own garments.Full length evening dress in four parts. Undergarments include two items: a basic black silk petticoat and an upper black silk slip, the latter with two bands of ruffles. The lace dress is in two parts: a bodice and a skirt. The black, high-necked bodice is constructed of silk organza to which guipure lace has been extensively applied. The bodice has long puffed sleeves, gathered on the forearm to form a wide band of lace and ribbon at the wrist. The skirt is constructed of the same black fabric with descending bands of gathered black silk ribbon, used as ornamentation. The skirt also features a long train. Apart from the donor information about its provenance, the style of the dress can confidently be dated to the period 1900-1910. The dress was made and worn to civic functions by Mrs Lily Wishart, Mayoress of Kew in 1906-7. Earlier items belonging to William and Lily Wishart entered the collection as early as 2002. The dress was donated by a descendant of a friend of Lily Wishart in 2020. The photograph of the dress and its components attached to the record needed to be digitally enhanced so that details of the dress could be viewed online, as the fabric of the dress is an intense black. A physical assessment of the dress is included in the condition report.fashion & design collection - kew historical society, australian fashion - 1900s, evening dresses, lily clara wishart, fashion design, fashion -- 1900s

Charlemont & Co., operated out of the Academy Studio, 114 Elizabeth Street from 1890 to 1898. The sitter’s identity has been established as a Mrs. Merritt. While we know that she is not the Mrs Merritt who was to be the wife of the future Mayor of Kew, there were two Mrs Merritts who were shopkeepers in High Street, Kew. Mrs Lucy Merritt operated a bootmaker’s shop, and subsequently a “boot warehouse” from 1888 until the 1920s. Miss Laura Merritt established a dressmaker’s shop in High Street in 1910. Her business also lasted until the 1920s, albeit changed to that of a bookseller and stationer. Silver albumen cabinet card by Charlemont & Co., who operated out of the Academy Studio, 114 Elizabeth Street from 1890 to 1898. In this portrait of Mrs Merritt, she is posed gazing directly at the lens, thus achieving a potentially more intimate relationship with the viewer. All that is revealed however in this supposedly more direct pose is her face. As with an earlier generation, her hair is centrally parted and flattened to accommodate her bonnet, which is surmounted by feathers. The detail in her coat-dress is sharply revealed by new photographic processes that allowed firms like Charlemont & Co., to capture greater light and shade, as well as the detail of fabrics. The entire garment is beaded with what is probably Parisian jet. The beading is arranged in a ‘paisley’ design. The paisley pattern was to become ubiquitous in the 19th century as a design on everything from carpets, to shawls, to clothing.Mrs Merrittcharlemont & co., mrs merritt

The Fashion & Design collection of the Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants’ clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Items in the collection were largely produced for, or purchased by women in Melbourne, and includes examples of outerwear, protective wear, nightwear, underwear and costume accessories.Long black fine silk velvet evening dress featuring a high rounded collar fastened at the rear of the neck with a number of black fabric covered buttons. The ends of the wide sleeves and the hem are raw and unsewnwomen's clothing, evening dresses, australian fashion

The Fashion & Design collection of the Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants’ clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Items in the collection were largely produced for, or purchased by women in Melbourne, and includes examples of outerwear, protective wear, nightwear, underwear and costume accessories. This 1930s evening dress is one of a number of items donated by Teresa Mayer.Deep rust coloured three-quarter length crepe dress featuring extensive ruching on the bodice and to the short sleeves. A bow of the same fabric with hanging laces (sic) is attached at the neck. The garment has been dated to the 1930s.women's clothing, australian fashion - 1930s, day wear, day dresses

When donated by Mrs Docherty in 1991 it was described as a Scottish sideboard runner dating from the 1860s.Embroidered textile formerly used as a table runner. When donated by Mrs Docherty in 1991 it was described as a Scottish sideboard runner dating from the 1860. The design and construction of the fabric is probably Indian in origin. It includes an extensive use of silver bullion on a cream silk ground to define the areas of abstract floral patterning. The warp or weft of the cream silk ground has disintegrated in sections.textiles - international, embroidery, table runners

The Fashion & Design collection of Kew Historical Society includes examples of textiles dating from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Some of the textiles, were used as items of clothing, others as items of household decoration, or simply as travel souvenirs. These textiles were created both domestically and internationally. Predictably with the growth of an ethnically and culturally more diverse community in Kew after the Second World War, textiles, clothing and objects in the collection inevitably reflected this diversity. Rust coloured oval, pure silk throw or shawl. The fabric is very fine and decorative rather than functional. There are no joins in the fabric as it is made of one piece. Its cultural provenance is unclear.table cloths, table covers, shawls, throws

The Kew Historical Society's Fashion & Design collection includes a small and representative collection of reticules, purses and handbags, purchased, inherited or collected by members of the Society. These items date from the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries, and conform to fashions and styles popular during the period of their use. Some of the items are handmade, while others are mass-produced commercial products.Black evening bag with fabric covered metal frame. Flat black strap. Same colour cornelli embroidered exterior decoration.handbags, evening bags, fashion accessories, grace james collection

The Fashion & Design collection of Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants' clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. While the collection includes some examples of international fashion, most items were handmade or purchased in Melbourne. Chemisette with a square neckline and three buttons down the front. It has an attached peplum. The sleeves and neckline are edged with lace. A row of ribbon insertion lace tape is attached to fabric of neckline. 30 mm in from the front of the neckline is a row of drawn thread work. Bodice is also decorated with 4 rows of triple pin tucking. The garment is short sleeved. The buttonholes are concealedlace, women's clothing, underwear, camisoles, chemisettes, undergarments

The Fashion & Design collection of Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants' clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. While the collection includes some examples of international fashion, most items were handmade or purchased in Melbourne. White muslin camisole with fabric made by machine joined tape lace. Sleeves have three layers tape lace between three pieces of muslin. Edges are of a layer of scalloped tape lace joined to sleeves by a ribbon insert tape lace.fashion and textiles collection - kew historical society, lace, women's clothing, australian fashion, night wear

The Fashion & Design collection of Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants' clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. While the collection includes some examples of international fashion, most items were handmade or purchased in Melbourne. Camisole comprised of three types of machine lace and an embroidered cotton joined together to form a fabric and backed with fine netting. There is a band of narrow lace at the square neckline, this is attached to a band of insertion lace with ribbon holes and then wide bands of insertion lace. At the upper midriff level there is a band of lace interspersed with embroidered butterflies. Garment is buttoned at the front.lace, women's clothing, lingerie, underwear, undergarments, chemisettes

Grace James, the creator of the items in the Grace James collection, designed and created costumes over a 19 year period (1969-1988) for her daughter Ceri. The collection of clothing ranges from evening wear to knitted garments. All the items display exemplary dressmaking skills. The designs are of the period and reflect evolving fashions of the time. Some items are copies of published designs whereas others are original creations. The collection was donated in 2006.While most of the items in the Fashion & Design Collection of the Kew Historical Society are commercially designed items of clothing, there are also items made by home dressmakers. Many of these exhibit outstanding design knowledge and technical skills. A large and important group of these items of women's clothing is contained in the Grace James collection of outfits created for the dressmaker's daughter. The items have additional significance due to information about the purpose of the creation and the date when it was constructed.Long mauve dress of a heavy crepe like fabric incorporating floral embroidery.grace james, women's clothing, dressmakers - surrey hills (vic), fashion -- 1960s, fashion design

Grace James, the creator of the items in the Grace James collection, designed and created costumes over a 19 year period (1969-1988) for her daughter Ceri. The collection of clothing ranges from evening wear to knitted garments. All the items display exemplary dressmaking skills. The designs are of the period and reflect evolving fashions of the time. Some items are copies of published designs whereas others are original creations. The collection was donated in 2006.While most of the items in the Fashion & Design Collection of the Kew Historical Society are commercially designed items of clothing, there are also items made by home dressmakers. Many of these exhibit outstanding design knowledge and technical skills. A large and important group of these items of women's clothing is contained in the Grace James collection of outfits created for the dressmaker's daughter. The items have additional significance due to information about the purpose of the creation and the date when it was constructed.Three piece brown outfit comprising a long dress, a separate bodice and a belt of scarf. The outfit is made of a synthetic fabric. The long plain brown dress has been designed with a matching bodice that features a tan trim; the wide belt/scarf is striped. Brown silk purse with brass fittingsgrace james, women's clothing, australian fashion 1969-1988, dressmakers - surrey hills (vic), fashion -- 1970s, fashion design

Grace James, the creator of the items in the Grace James collection, designed and created costumes over a 19 year period (1969-1988) for her daughter Ceri. The collection of clothing ranges from evening wear to knitted garments. All the items display exemplary dressmaking skills. The designs are of the period and reflect evolving fashions of the time. Some items are copies of published designs whereas others are original creations. The collection was donated in 2006.While most of the items in the Fashion & Design Collection of the Kew Historical Society are commercially designed items of clothing, there are also items made by home dressmakers. Many of these exhibit outstanding design knowledge and technical skills. A large and important group of these items of women's clothing is contained in the Grace James collection of outfits created for the dressmaker's daughter. The items have additional significance due to information about the purpose of the creation and the date when it was constructed.Long plain red sleeveless dress made of a crepe like fabric. The dress has narrow strapped shoulders. Red, pink and black floral chiffon overlap. The chiffon overlap is a John Kaldor fabric.grace james, women's clothing, dressmakers - surrey hills (vic), fashion -- 1970s, fashion design

The Fashion & Design collection of Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants' clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. While the collection includes some examples of international fashion, most items were handmade or purchased in Melbourne. Hand-embroidered apron. Possibly a Semco pattern. The apron is edged in yellow fabric and has multi-coloured sprays of embroidered flowers.clothing - women's, aprons, protective wear, fashion -- 1950s, fashion design

The Fashion & Design collection of Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants' clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. While the collection includes some examples of international fashion, most items were handmade or purchased in Melbourne.Black hostess apron embroidered with sprays of leaves using orange and yellow silk thread. The apron is bordered by commercial guipure lace. The apron is backed by the same black fabric. While the leaves are embroidered on the upper layer only, the pocket is embroidered on/through both layers.clothing - women's, aprons, protective wear, fashion design, fashion -- 1950s

The Fashion & Design collection of Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants' clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. While the collection includes some examples of international fashion, most items were handmade or purchased in Melbourne.Cotton apron comprised of scalloped panels of plain green and white floral patterned fabric.clothing - women's, aprons, protective wear, fashion design, fashion -- 1950s

The Fashion & Design collection of Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants' clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. While the collection includes some examples of international fashion, most items were handmade or purchased in Melbourne.Black hostess apron created from a black silk southeast asian textile featuring a stylised woven band of red, black and gold silk. The fabric is gathered at the waist. The strap includes a black silk tassel. clothing - women's, aprons, protective wear, fashion design, fashion -- 1960s

The Fashion & Design collection of the Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants’ clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Items in the collection were largely produced for, or purchased by women in Melbourne, and includes examples of outerwear, protective wear, nightwear, underwear and costume accessories.This lingerie dress, donated by Jane McIntyre is part of the wider McIntyre Collection. While lingerie dresses were produced for and worn by women between 1900 and 1920, the main period in which they were worn was between 1900 and 1910. This elaborately detailed example is believed to date from 1912-1918.The McIntyre Collection of clothing and clothing accessories forms one of the largest single donations to our Fashion & Design collection. It includes clothing and clothing accessories worn by four women in the Cohen and McIntyre families across three generations. The items worn by Melbourne architect, and Kew resident, Dione McIntyre date from the 1960s and 1970s, and include evening wear, day wear, hats and shoes. As Dione McIntyre often accompanied her husband, fellow architect Peter McIntyre, to formal events, there are a number of pieces of evening wear among the items. The McIntyre Collection also includes items worn by women of an earlier generation: by Lilian Cohen, Dione McIntyre's mother, and by her mother-in-law, the wife of the architect Robert McIntyre. At the other end of the chronological spectrum are a number of outfits belonging to, worn and donated by Annie McIntyre. These include outfits created by notable late 20th century Australian and/or international fashion designers. The McIntyre Collection is significant historically and artistically as it includes examples of design that demonstrate changing tastes in fashion over an 80-year period. The collection is also significant in that it includes the work of a large number of Melbourne designers from the 1960s to the 1990s.Three-quarter-length, white cotton voile lingerie dress. The dress feature extensive embroidery on the bodice and skirt, probably constructed from pre-embroidered fabric, rather than hand embroidered. In addition to the embroiderd panels, there is extensive use of white lace insertions. The dress has short sleeves to teh elbow and lace cuffs. The dress is date after the Edwardian Period due to the absence of tucks and frills. Its high-waisted design is simple and yet elaborately ornamented with embroidery.women's clothing, white muslin dresses, tea dresses, australian fashion 1910-1920, lingerie dresses, annie mcintyre, mcintyre collection, fashion design, fashion -- 1910s

The Fashion & Design collection of the Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants’ clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Items in the collection were largely produced for, or purchased by women in Melbourne, and includes examples of outerwear, protective wear, nightwear, underwear and costume accessories.Heavy woollen cape designed by Prue Acton. The cape is tied at the front and features a wide band of woollen fabric simulating a collar.Label: "Prue Acton"prue acton, capes, outerwear, fashion design, fashion -- 1980s

Notepad, hand embroidered with a floral design on the fabric covernotepads

The Fashion & Design collection of the Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants’ clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Items in the collection were largely produced for, or purchased by women in Melbourne, and includes examples of outerwear, protective wear, nightwear, underwear and costume accessories.The donor, a resident of Kew, provided a handwritten provenance with the donation. "This is an heirloom dress, worn in Tasmania by a Fletcher relative c. 1860s, 1870s. It was for years, with another in the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, then borrowed for concerts. In (the) 1990s it was enlarged at the back for a Centenary reenactment. I thought you might like it for your collection."19th century white cotton day dress, photographed as accessioned, which is printed with a design in black. The front has a 3/4 length buttoned opening. The dress has wide ruffles in the same fabric at the base of the skirt. The later 1990s inserts which can be seen in the first and third images have been removed in preparation for the dress to be restored. The buttons are a later addition. Historically appropriate replacement buttons were later added.women's clothing, day dresses, australian fashion - 1870s, coralie coulston

Uniform of a Victorian Branch Commissioner, with blue epaulettes and a green and yellow bread scarf. The uniform was worn by Dr. Geoffrey E. Miles (b.1928) a Scout at 2nd Kew, the Scout Troop affiliated with Trinity Grammar School. He was subsequently an Assistant Scout Master (ASM) at 2nd Kew and was later Group [Scout Master (GSM) in charge of the 4th Kew Scout Group. At one time the Victorian Branch Commissioner for Health, he was awarded the Medal of Merit for services to Scouting in 1993.Short-sleeved, collarless fabric shirt of khaki color, with embroidered badges. Also fabric neck scarf, with braid and vinyl holdfast (woggle). And leather belt with metal clasp with Scout design and a number of enamelled badges.scouts, 2nd kew scouts, geoffrey e. miles, trinity grammar school, 4th kew scouts

The firm of Harbig was a Melbourne millinery company owned by Mr and Mrs Richard Ernest Harbig. In 1949, an article in the West Australian newspaper reported their return from the United States. It records that: 'FEATHERS SYDNEY, Sept. 14: Mr. and Mr. Richard Harbig, Melbourne milliners who reached Sydney by air tonight from America, gave these details of hat trends for next winter. Shapes: Head-hugging cloches to suit short hair, cut away at the back to clear high collars, and built up and out at the front to give height. Materals: Felts, velours, velvets, and a new long-haired fur fabric called flamond. Colours: Muted pastels, few jewel shades, and no vivid colours. Trimmings: Little veiling, "but feathers and feathers and feathers".'The Kew Historical Society’s fashion and design collection is comprised of costumes, hats, shoes and personal accessories. Many of these items were purchased or handmade in Victoria; some locally in Kew. The extensive hat collection comprises items dating from the 1860s to the 1970s. While most of the hats in the collection were created by milliners for women, there are a number of early and important men’s hats in the collection. The headwear collection is particularly significant in that it includes the work of notable Australian and international milliners.Pale green woman’s hat created by Harbig of Melbourne with a large border of flowers and leaves in shades of green. The crown of the hat is swathed with pale green silk gauze.Label: Harbig. Melbourne, New York, Parismilliners -- harbig, women's clothing -- hats, floral hats

An article in the Melbourne Age (2 March 1978, p. 25) recorded the retirement of Clare Ralph of Goullet of Melbourne (active 1953-78). "One of Australia's most talented milliners, Clare Ralph, of Goullet, is selling her business because she wants to spend more time in her garden. "I have been in the business for 25 years and last week I turned 60 and so I thought now is the time," Mrs. Ralph said at her Richmond shop yesterday. ... Mrs. Ralph is selling cheaply $10,000 for the label, which also covers sportswear, and tenancy and lease of the premises which have a showroom and workroom. ... Mrs. Ralph is as unpretentious as the relaxed Goullet styling which brought the new concept of millinery to Australia non-hatty hats with none of the "Melbourne Mum" quality so rife at the time. She said she started off making hats rather than dressmaking because she couldn't afford to buy the three yards of material necessary for a dress. "I wanted to get out of the house and so I did millinery night classes at Caulfield Tech." Her first efforts were sun-hats of natural straw which Mrs. Ralph trimmed extravagantly … "gold fishnet and braiding and sparkly jewels all over the crown. "They were ridiculous but a lot of fun," she said. She carted them by train to the city and nervously showed them to a store buyer. After the meeting, she couldn't face taking the samples home again on the train and left them. Before she could collect them, to everyone's amazement particularly Clare Ralph's, they had been sold. "The next thing was people were asking me what I was going to do for winter. I hadn't thought I was in the industry. I just thought I had sold a couple of sun hats and that was marvellous because I needed the money," she said. If the new buyer is interested, Clare Ralph will continue designing hats on a consultancy basis for them, which would be great for all the fans she has collected since those crazy sun-hat days.The Kew Historical Society’s fashion and design collection is comprised of costumes, hats, shoes and personal accessories. Many of these items were purchased or handmade in Victoria; some locally in Kew. The extensive hat collection comprises items dating from the 1860s to the 1970s. Most of the hats in the collection were created by milliners for women. There are however a number of early and important men’s hats in the collection. The headwear collection is particularly significant in that it includes the work of notable Australian and international milliners.Wide brimmed woman’s hat designed by Clare Ralph of Goullet of Melbourne, constructed of white stiffened fabric with a white fabric cord surrounding the crown of the hat.Label: Designed by Goullet of Melbournegoullet of melbourne, clare ralph -- milliner, women's clothing -- hats, headwear

The context in which the hat was made and worn assists in establishing its potential historic significance. 'Bailliere's Victorian Gazetteer and Road Guide containing the most recent and accurate information as to every place in the Colony' (1870), describes the village of Vaughan as being located on the road from Daylesford to Castlemaine. In 1870 the Vaughan was deemed to be entirely a gold mining area, gold having been discovered in the district in 1853. Intriguingly the entry in the Gazetteer claims that the electoral division of Vaughan began at the junction of the Middleton Creek and the Loddon River, so perhaps the cap might have belonged to a member of a significant local family. In 1870, Vaughan had a population of about 1000 persons and included almost 300 dwellings. Articles from newspapers, published on Trove refer frequently to a Mr Middleton as a litigant in court cases before the Vaughan Court in the 1860s. By the 1870s, the Mt Alexander Mail, in an article on ‘Mining: The Pioneer Wheel’ describes the success of Mr Middleton and his Middleton’s Reef Gold Quartz Mining Company, which had built the largest water wheel in the Colony. The wheel was 20’ in diameter and 2’ wide. Quartz mining as practiced by companies such as Middleton’s had become necessary after the exhaustion of alluvial quartz mining deposits in the 1860s. So we can probably establish a link between the cap and a significant mining identity in the period in which the article was made. The historical significance of the cap is only one part of the story. Caps such as the Middleton example can also be items of aesthetic significance as they were typically, examples of women’s work, using published patterns in magazines such as the Ladies Home Magazine. While women might follow or adapt a published pattern, their choice of materials reflected what was available locally. The fine hand stitching on this example is evidence of high quality domestic needlework. The maker crafted the cap from five triangular pieces of cotton cloth, each piece lined with a faded yellow net. The net provides some stiffening for the cap and has a functional purpose in that it anchors the hand-stitched, looped design of yellow silk ribbon that decorates the surface of the cap. Gentleman’s smoking (lounging) cap believed to have been made in c.1860-69. The conical hat is made of a dark green cotton fabric embroidered with narrow ribbon of a paler green silk. The unlined rimless hat is made of four pieces of fabric. There is no evidence of the hat at one stage featuring a tassle. The original donation record noted that the cap had been made for, and was worn by, a Mr Middleton, of Vaughan in Central Victoria. Nilhats, smokers hats, men's clothing

The firm of Harbig was a Melbourne millinery company owned by Mr and Mrs Richard Ernest Harbig. In 1949, an article in the West Australian newspaper reported their return from the United States. It records that: 'FEATHERS SYDNEY, Sept. 14: Mr. and Mr. Richard Harbig, Melbourne milliners who reached Sydney by air tonight from America, gave these details of hat trends for next winter. Shapes: Head-hugging cloches to suit short hair, cut away at the back to clear high collars, and built up and out at the front to give height. Materals: Felts, velours, velvets, and a new long-haired fur fabric called flamond. Colours: Muted pastels, few jewel shades, and no vivid colours. Trimmings: Little veiling, "but feathers and feathers and feathers".'The Kew Historical Society’s fashion and design collection is comprised of costumes, hats, shoes and personal accessories. Many of these items were purchased or handmade in Victoria; some locally in Kew. The extensive hat collection comprises items dating from the 1860s to the 1970s. While most of the hats in the collection were created by milliners for women, there are a number of early and important men’s hats in the collection. The headwear collection is particularly significant in that it includes the work of notable Australian and international milliners.Rounded hat covered with ivory coloured silk, simulated flowers attached to a stiffened net. Label: Harbigmilliners -- melbourne (vic.) -- harbig, women's clothing -- hats, headwear

Imitation fur products were initially popular due to their relative cheapness. As the 1960s progressed, faux fur became more popular due to social uneasiness about the wildlife and farmed fur trade. Whereas real fur hats might be seen as matronly, smart, light and bright, clearly fake fur hats were designed for a younger market, and proved more suitable to the light weight fabrics of dresses and coats that became fashionable in Australia in the 1950s.The Kew Historical Society’s fashion and design collection is comprised of costumes, hats, shoes and personal accessories. Many of these items were purchased or handmade in Victoria; some locally in Kew. The extensive hat collection comprises items dating from the 1860s to the 1970s. Most of the hats in the collection were created by milliners for women. There are however a number of early and important men’s hats in the collection. The headwear collection is particularly significant in that it includes the work of notable Australian and international milliners.Faux ermine black and white woman’s hat.Nilheadwear, women's hats, hats - 1960s, fashion accessories, faux fur

The Kew Historical Society’s fashion and design collection is comprised of costumes, hats, shoes and personal accessories. Many of these items were purchased or handmade in Victoria; some locally in Kew. The extensive hat collection comprises items dating from the 1860s to the 1970s. Most of the hats in the collection were created by milliners for women. There are however a number of early and important men’s hats in the collection. The headwear collection is particularly significant in that it includes the work of notable Australian and international milliners.Woman’s hat made of stiffened patterned fabric in shades of blue, gold and white.Nilhats, australian fashion, women's clothing

The Kew Historical Society’s fashion and design collection is comprised of costumes, hats, shoes and personal accessories. Many of these items were purchased or handmade in Victoria; some locally in Kew. The extensive hat collection comprises items dating from the 1860s to the 1970s. Most of the hats in the collection were created by milliners for women. There are however a number of early and important men’s hats in the collection. The headwear collection is particularly significant in that it includes the work of notable Australian and international milliners.Wide brimmed straw summer hat decorated with silk and a fabric rose.Nilsun hats, headwear, women's clothing