This silk dress was worn by Mollie Findlay, wife of a borough councillor, when she was presented to the Queen and Prince Phillip in January 1953 at Gisborne Intermediate School. It features a full skirt, underarm panels and a bright green suede belt, which contrasts beautifully with the pale pink shell-printed silk. The dress was bought specially from Haute Couture (New Zealand) for the occasion. Note the unusual buttons on the bodice – metal pipi, the perfect choice for a resident of a beachside town.

Many Gisborne residents would know Mollie as a noted potter, and through her connection to her husband Walter’s business, Findlay’s Bakery.