Wedding dress top
Production date
1963
Country
Australia
State/Province
Queensland
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Object detail
Description
Wedding top, waist length made of ivory lace and lined with ivory silk organza. Design features include: high round neckline bound with narrow silk organza bias binding, centre back opening with self covered buttons, scalloped hemline, and close fitting sleeve with wrist dart and zipper opening.
Classification
COSTUME Wedding woman
Maker
Production date
1963
Production place
History and use
This organza and lace wedding ensemble, including her conical headpiece and veil, was designed and made for Jill Chopping (nee Kelly) by Gardams Silk Store in 1963. Jill’s and Noel’s small family wedding at Toowong Presbyterian Church encompassed many traditional values of 1950s post-war society while also responding to the important cultural shifts and historical reality of the times they were living through.
Reflecting these changes, Jill's dress veered sharply from the full-skirted, hour-glass shapes of the 1950s to the narrow, columnar empire-line dress shape, echoing the mod silhouettes of swinging London.Designed by one of Gardams’ more flamboyant and talented fashion designers, Roy Wilson, the style of dress is evidence of Gardams up-to-the-minute and reflects a style popularised by international designers such as Pierre Cardin, Oleg Cassini and Yves Saint Laurent during the early 1960s.
Brisbane's oldest family operated fabric store, Gardams was originally set up by Herbert (Bert) Beaumont Gardam who had immigrated to Queensland in 1921. In 1930 following the closure of the Keyser Hosiery Warehouse where he had been an employee for several years, he opened a small shop in Edward Street where he sold locally made hosiery, gloves and lingerie. In 1937, Bert purchased a building in Queen Street where he began to specialise in bridal and evening fabrics.
Four decades later in 1969, Gardams opened a store in Townsville and later established a store in Southport. During the 1980s the business expanded their bridal
department to include off-the-rack gowns, menswear and dress and suit hire. They also opened a travel agency to assist clients with booking honeymoons, car hire, venues and photography.
In 1997, Bert’s son Ewan and his wife Dorothy took over the business and the store moved to Adelaide Street. Ewan and Dorothy currently manage the store which
now operates in the Myer Centre in Brisbane’s CBD.
Reflecting these changes, Jill's dress veered sharply from the full-skirted, hour-glass shapes of the 1950s to the narrow, columnar empire-line dress shape, echoing the mod silhouettes of swinging London.Designed by one of Gardams’ more flamboyant and talented fashion designers, Roy Wilson, the style of dress is evidence of Gardams up-to-the-minute and reflects a style popularised by international designers such as Pierre Cardin, Oleg Cassini and Yves Saint Laurent during the early 1960s.
Brisbane's oldest family operated fabric store, Gardams was originally set up by Herbert (Bert) Beaumont Gardam who had immigrated to Queensland in 1921. In 1930 following the closure of the Keyser Hosiery Warehouse where he had been an employee for several years, he opened a small shop in Edward Street where he sold locally made hosiery, gloves and lingerie. In 1937, Bert purchased a building in Queen Street where he began to specialise in bridal and evening fabrics.
Four decades later in 1969, Gardams opened a store in Townsville and later established a store in Southport. During the 1980s the business expanded their bridal
department to include off-the-rack gowns, menswear and dress and suit hire. They also opened a travel agency to assist clients with booking honeymoons, car hire, venues and photography.
In 1997, Bert’s son Ewan and his wife Dorothy took over the business and the store moved to Adelaide Street. Ewan and Dorothy currently manage the store which
now operates in the Myer Centre in Brisbane’s CBD.
Associated person
Registration number
H48089.2
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