cocktail dress with pheasant feather bustle

artist/maker WORLD (established 1989, Auckland)

Francis Hooper (born 1963, Hong Kong)

Denise L'Estrange-Corbet (born 1960, Auckland)

locality Auckland, New Zealand

period or date 1997

material(s)/process cotton, Lycra, chicken feathers, pheasant feathers

dress: chicken feathers dyed and sewn onto 95% cotton 5% Lycra body

bustle: Pheasant feathers glued onto pads and hand made into bustle attachment.

measurements length of back 840 mm

‘FEATHER

A bird in the hand is worth everything, in these little numbers, which are not for the faint hearted. A paradise of colours, each hand-sewn into beautiful cocktail dresses. You will never go unnoticed.’

WORLD is Francis Hooper and Denise L’Estrange-Corbet. Founded by them in 1985, it is an innovative Auckland fashion house focusing on the avante-garde youth fashion.

Denise and Francis design and manufacture all their own garments under the WORLD label and have received recognition both locally and internationally over the years.

In 1997 they were nominated to show internationally for the first time at Australian Fashion Week, an event that brought them to the attention of international fashion icon and Art Director of Italian Vogue Anna Piaggi, who came backstage to commend them on their work, and in particular, this dress.

They have made garments from glass, paper, feathers, astroturf, printed money, cowhide, stainless steel, in fact anything that inspired their imagination.

In 1997 and 1998 they received awards in the Smokefree Hall of Fame for their continuing contribution to New Zealand Fashion and Design. In February 1999 WORLD were the first New Zealanders to show at London Fashion Week.

cocktail dress with pheasant feather bustle, WORLD (established 1989, Auckland), Francis Hooper (born 1963, Hong Kong), Denise L'Estrange-Corbet (born 1960, Auckland), Auckland, New Zealand, 1997