MEDIA RELEASE
25 June 2018
Wellington Museum & Auckland Museum Collaborate to Launch the ‘Kate Sheppard’ Blunt Umbrella for Suffrage 125.

To celebrate 125 years of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, Auckland Museum & Wellington Museum have collaborated with top NZ umbrella company BLUNT to produce a special Kate Sheppard signature umbrella.

Kate Sheppard was the leading light of the New Zealand women’s suffrage movement in the 1890s. New Zealand became the first country in the world to give women the right to vote and inspired women’s suffrage movements all around the world. Kate’s inspiration continues 125 years later - with two prominent museums collaborating together to produce a range of Kate Sheppard Camellia products which not only includes the BLUNT umbrella, but also a limited edition silk scarf, lens cloth and tote bag.

Museums Wellington Head of Commercial and Visitor Services Karryn Baudet and Auckland Museum Retail Operations Manager Lisa Varga were thinking of creating a range of bespoke products to celebrate Suffrage 125 last June and approached BLUNT Umbrellas with their idea;

“New Zealand led the world when women won the right to vote in 1893. We wanted to celebrate the achievements of those trail-blazing resilient women with our BLUNT umbrella.” said Karryn Baudet.

Museums Wellington Graphic Designer Sarah Maxey was given the task to develop that idea into a final design. It features Kate’s signature from the successful 1893 petition presented to Parliament and a special breed of white camellia flower called the ‘Kate Sheppard’. The white camellia is a very important symbol of the women’s suffrage movement in New Zealand – in 1893 the suffragists had presented a white camellia flower to members of the House of Representatives who had voted in favour of women gaining the vote. Those who voted against were given a red camellia.

Only 125 Silk Scarves will be made, and 1000 Kate Sheppard signature BLUNT umbrellas - 500 at Wellington Museum and 500 at Auckland Museum (Metro size only) so it will be a well sought-after collector’s item. BLUNT have produced a number of specially designed umbrellas by well-known NZ Street Artist FLOX and Fashion Designer Karen Walker.

A portion of the sales of the range of Kate Sheppard products will go to the National Council of Women New Zealand to help continue champion gender equality into the future. Current President of the National Council of Women New Zealand, Vanisa Dhiru is excited to see this creative collaboration take place;

“New Zealand women have a rich and proud history - we are excited to see contemporary items honouring Aotearoa’s history this year,” says Vanisa. The Kate Sheppard Camellia range and the accompanying Suffrage 125 Broadsheet range will be sold at the Wellington Museum and Auckland Museum Stores and online from July 2nd.

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