"Navy, camel and no men's ties" is how one newspaper described New Zealand's uniforms for the opening ceremony of the 1978 Commonwealth Games. 

New Zealand fashion promoter Josephine Brodie was invited by the Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association to produce a "New Zealand look".

Miss Deb's Maurice Mihotich designed the uniform - a navy jacket and a camel wool dress to be worn with a soft shoulder bag and wedge-heeled sling-back shoes. The navy jacket featured the word 'New Zealand' scrolled in gold across the back, with the competitor's sport embroidered on the pocket of the bodice. For the ceremony Maurice designed a skirt of tiered pleats. 

Wellington physical education teacher, Barbara Beable competed in the women's pentathlon. "I've been in three other Commonwealth Games teams and the blazers from them are collecting dust in my wardrobe. This is one outfit I shall certainly wear afterwards." (New Zealand Woman's Weekly, 3 July 1978).