Emma Johnson

Military silk and resourceful fashion during World War Two

Comprised of clothing, textiles, personal effects, memorabilia and more, the museum’s non-technical collections help tell personal stories associated with the military. This blog highlights some of the remarkable garments that were made by utilising unrequired World War Two materials. We know a lot about some of them, for others information is limited. The fabric at the heart of all these garments is silk.

Resources became increasingly scarce during the war and with silk favoured as a military material, it was unavailable for dressmaking. The following examples show how military silk was repurposed for civilian clothing. Silk was used early in the war, but as supplies became limited rayon was used; in this blog the term ‘silk’ is used to describe items that could have been made from silk or rayon.

Taking flight: the RNZAF contribution to NAC

75 years ago, on 1 April 1947, the New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) officially launched its operations. The NAC period – with its Dakota DC-3 airliner in particular – is considered by some to be the ‘golden age’ of air travel in New Zealand. This blog highlights how the RNZAF contributed to the emerging national airline.

Donation 101: Donating items to the Air Force Museum Collection