Leather jacket & skirt with matching hat

Designer Nita Henry and milliner Ailie Miller were both based in Christchurch in the 1980s. Nita was known for her detailed leatherwear ranges that were sold in Zulu, Quinns, Kimberley's and Caroline Moore. Ailie made hats to order and wholesaled to a few selected stores around the country. She was also kept busy designing hats for photoshoots in Fashion New Zealand (later Fashion Quarterly) magazine, founded in Christchurch in 1980 by Don Hope and Paula Ryan. Paula would send sketches of the proposed photoshoot and Ailie would design hats to suit.

Details

Photographer: Richard Bailey
Credit: Image from Fashion Quarterly, Winter 1988
Copyright: Image © Fashion Quarterly magazine
Designer: Nita Henry (jacket, skirt, bustier, gloves), Ailie Miller (hat)
Manufacturing location: Christchurch
Garment type: Jacket, skirt, bustier, gloves, hat
Material: Black bovine leather with screen-printed calf trim
Features: The jacket has a peplum and the bustier is boned.
Colour: Black
Label: Nita Henry (jacket, skirt, bustier, gloves), Dollie Vardin (hat)
Date: 1988