White Gloves Experience: fashion entrepreneurs and game changers

Paula Stafford, Sarah Jenyns, Olive Ashworth and Ivy Hassard fashioned legacies that would long outlive them, shaping Queensland’s fashion industry by harnessing their creativity and business acumen. Join us for a hands-on collection experience where the contributions and stories of these stylish entrepreneurs come to life.

More about the event

Designer Paula Stafford is known for bringing the bikini to the Gold Coast, popularising what is now a staple across Australian beaches. Sarah Jenyns designed and manufactured a range of health and fashion garments, under her own business which operated for over 100 years.

Both Stafford and Jenyns are inductees into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.

Further stitching together stories of Queensland’s fashion history are our collections on Olive Ashworth and Ivy Hassard, whose entrepreneurial spirits defied conventional expectations of women in mid-century Queensland.

Hassard, a pioneering fashion designer and pilot, is known for her flair for style and creativity. She opened one of the Gold Coast's first boutiques in Surfers Paradise in 1946. Whereas Ashworth, a visual artist, designer, and businesswoman, is known for her contribution to Australian design and incorporating unique elements of the natural landscape into her work.

Image Caption: Attendees enjoying a White Gloves Experience, photo by Wai Ling Leung, 2023.

Subscribe to be the first to know about our future events.

Please consult our before making your booking.

We respect your privacy. Personal information we collect is used only for our internal activities and functions () and will not be disclosed unless required by law. For more information, please read State Library's .

State Library films, records and photographs events for use in marketing and communications. If you do not wish to be filmed, recorded or photographed please advise staff upon your arrival.

Host or Publisher State Library of Queensland