Old, worn, shearing singlets, traditionally men’s clothing, are transformed into women’s dresses by Anne Garvey from Te Kuiti. This garment was well received by the public, especially if they had background links to farming and recognised the singlets for what they once were, she says. Labelled 'up-cycling', recycling old farm clothes creates environmental awareness and eco fashion as a reflection of current trends. The singlets are taken from their original rural context to become clothing that is "social outing/urban chic". The original work-worn holes became an integral part of the re-design when reinforced with stitching and embellished. The only stumbling block Anne encountered was the labour-intensive method of construction. Read more about wearing the colour black in the New Zealand Fashion Museum publication Black: The history of black in fashion, society and culture in New Zealand.