The Central Otago District Council bought the collection of fashion garments in 2013, and the Eden Hore Central Otago Trust looks after it.
At Wednesday’s council meeting councillors questioned community and engagement manager Paula Penno before accepting a report recommending the collection be displayed for two years at Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, in Dunedin, when it had not been seen in Central Otago since the council acquired it. Staging the Dunedin exhibition would cost $25,000, which would be raised by the Eden Hore Central Otago Trust. The only cost to ratepayers was staff time.
Ms Penno said the collection had not been displayed in Central Otago as there was no suitable space. Toitū had purpose-built exhibition spaces for fragile textiles.
However, items from the collection were displayed on mannequins in a gallery at the Dowse Art Museum, in Lower Hutt, in 2022 and had been photographed on models. A small number of wool garments were also displayed at Central Stories Art Gallery and Museum, where it is housed, in Alexandra, in 2014.
Cr Tamah Alley asked when Central Otago people would get to see the garments as travelling to Dunedin to see an exhibition was out of the question for many in tough economic times.
"High country, high fashion . . . at sea level in Dunedin?" Cr Alley asked.
"The ratepayers are paying for this but haven’t seen it ... Central Otago, where the garments come from, miss out."
Cr Stu Duncan said he was the biggest supporter of the collection because of the story attached to it but it had to be seen.
"The beneficiary has to be Central Otago."
An exhibition of photographs of models wearing garments from the collection had toured Central Otago and the report said a second photo shoot was planned.
Cr Duncan asked why gowns could not be displayed if they could be put on models for photographs.
Ms Penno said she was guided by experts, including fashion historian and Eden Hore Central Otago Trust patron Dr Jane Malthus and steering group member Claire Regnault about handling the garments. They had been at the photo shoot handling everything with kidskin gloves.
Cr Duncan asked if there was a risk that the people managing the collection were getting too precious.
"It was in a shed for 30 years."
Cr Tracey Paterson asked how the council could support this when they were asking staff to trim budgets.
Ms Penno said there was no cost to the council, other than staff time, but it could create opportunities to promote the region.
Cr Alley asked when the collection could be charged out for exhibiting.
Ms Penno said they risked losing opportunities if they took that path.
Dr Malthus and Ms Regnault are set to release a book about the collection next year.
The report said there would be a small book launch hosted "within the Central Otago district, as funding allows".
A film about the collection was planned and three film-makers were shortlisted to make a self-funded film.
