Nalla penny lane black faux fur coat, 1970s

Linda Cowper worked in the office at Nalla in 1972, where her boss was Mrs Mowat. Linda moved to Auckland from Helensville to work, and lived with her Aunty Flo who had a flat in Pitt St which, over the years, provided a city home to her family. It was an easy walk from there to the Nalla factory in West St, Newton. June gave this coat to her sister Raewyn and it is now worn regularly by her sister’s daughter, Penne Ann.

Nalla was known for its faux fur outerwear, and this example features a mottled brown and grey Faux rabbit fur collar, cuffs and hem on a black, shorter pile textured main fabric. The A-line silhouette skims the figure and compliments its fashionably shorter hemline.

A similar, belted style can be seen in the advertisement from Apparel Magazine (A/W 1974), where the retail price was listed as $95. In those days would have been a significant amount, but the fact that many of Nalla's coats have survived in peoples' wardrobes is a testament to their enduring quality and style.

Details

Credit: Garment loan courtesy of the June Cowper family
Copyright: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 Licence
Credit: Apparel Magazine, Autumn/Winter 1974.
Copyright: All Rights Reserved, Apparel Magazine © 1974
Maker: Nalla
Manufacturing location: West St, Newton, Auckland
Garment type: Double breasted coat
Material: synthetic faux fur, man-made lining
Features: Faux rabbit fur contrast collar, cuffs and hem
Colour: black, grey, brown
Purchase location: Auckland
Last published: November 2021
Label: Nalla
Date: 1974