Sapphire Silk Wedding Gown Shines As December’s Outfit Of The Month

A brilliant sapphire-blue wedding gown from the 1870s — trimmed with rich ribbon detailing — brings a hint of Christmas sparkle to the Whanganui Regional Museum this December as part of the popular Ko te Kākahu o te Marama/Outfit of the Month series.

The elegant full-length gown, made from lavish silk and styled with the fashionable flair of its era, is believed to have been worn by 21-year-old Annie (Anny) Eliot for her marriage to draper Thomas William Blennerhassett, in Nelson, in September 1873. The dress later came into the Museum’s care through the Blennerhassett Estate, from a large, successful and talented Whanganui family.

Annie and Thomas went on to raise ten children across Nelson, Buller, Australia and Whanganui, before settling permanently in Whanganui in 1890. Thomas managed the NZ Clothing Factory, part of the Hallenstein Brothers’ business, while Annie kept up a busy family life and supported the campaign for New Zealand women to gain the vote. Both are buried in Whanganui alongside several of their children.

Trish Nugent-Lyne, Pou Tiaki/Collections & Curatorial Lead, says wedding gowns from this period offer unique insight into the lives and aspirations of young women in Aotearoa. ‘Brides of the time often got married in their best dress so their wedding gowns were a large variety of colours and the style was following the fashionable trends of the time.’

Trish will give a short public talk about the gown and its story on Friday 5 December at 12.15pm at the Museum. Admission is free, and the gown will remain on display throughout December and January, through to February 12, 2026.

Koha to support the Museum’s ongoing heritage preservation work is warmly welcomed.

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