Rosalie Gwilliam of Whanganui (née Burbush, 1938-2014) loved making spectacular garments for competitions alongside her day jobs as textiles teacher, and dress designer.
She entered and often won prizes in New Zealand Gown of the Year and Wills Awards, Benson and Hedges Fashion Awards, and the Royal Sydney Easter Show. In 1971 she went to the USA to study the sewing of stretch knit fabrics. Aqualana (a washable wool fabric) or Qiana (a du Pont nylon fabric) both heavily promoted for high fashion clothing in advertisements during the 1970s, became favourites. Butterflies in sequins and beads appeared on many dresses, and she kept track of how many she used and how long it took her to stitch them on.
Eden collected Rosalie’s gowns through the 1980s, including a strapless evening dress and black velvet jacket she entered in the 1989 Benson and Hedges Fashion Awards.
Pictured:
Rosalie Gwilliam trousers and cape, 1974. Aqualana wool jersey and embroidery thread. Photographed at Mount Buster, Naseby, 2019
