New Zealand in Vogue

New Zealand is known for its edgy fashion exports such as Kate Sylvester and Zambesi, but a retrospective exhibition on now at Te Papa reveals a lesser known secret: the land of the long white cloud once had its own Vogue. Sharing Sheila Scotter as its editor with Vogue Australia, the magazine was one of the first international editions outside of the United States and Europe and was in print from 1957 to 1968. Originally published as an offshoot of British Vogue, the quarterly publication connected the northern and southern hemispheres and gave local designers a spotlight on the international fashion scene. “The editors not only saw their role as providing an engaging magazine for readers, but also to foster and support the local industry,” curator Claire Regnault said. “What I love about the early issues is that New Zealand garments were flown to London to be photographed in quintessential English settings,” Regnault says. New Zealand in Vogue is on until September 2012, at the Eyelights Gallery, Te Papa.