Flame dress

Annie Bonza won the prestigious eveningwear category of the 1971 Benson & Hedges Fashion Design Awards with this dress, modelled by Maysie Bestall-Cohen. She designed it especially for this competition. The skirt of the dress is made from sections of coral and red, and the use of chiffon gives it the look of flames. It originally had hot pants but they have been lost as Annie carried the dress around with her for many years before it was acquired in 2005 by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. 

Details

Photographer: Max Bellamy
Credit: Image courtesy of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery
Copyright: Image © Dunedin Public Art Gallery
Photographer: Selwyn Rogers
Credit: Photo by Selwyn Rogers, courtesy of Annie Bonza
Copyright: Photo © unknown. Please contact NZFM before reproducing this item.
Designer: Annie Bonza
Manufacturing location: Auckland
Garment type: Evening dress
Material: Polyester georgette chiffon, braid-work using rayon cord
Features: Bright yellow ribbon appliqué detail on the bodice
Colour: Coral, flame red, bright yellow
Exhibition: Annie Bonza: Fashion Explosion (Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 2004), When Dreams Turn to Gold (Dunedin Public Art Gallery, May 2017)
Label: Annie Bonza
Date: 1971