A collection of locally-designed bespoke headwear will be up for bids later this month just in time for spring racing.
East Gippsland-based designer Eleanor Marguerite is offering 60 unique, handmade headpieces at silent auction in the One Woman’s Collection exhibition at the Traralgon Courthouse.
The funds from the auction will be going to Latrobe Regional Health (LRH) to purchase new laser surgical equipment.
The auction is being held on behalf of a woman who collected 70 of these headpieces, but she is moving to England and cannot take them all with her with her.
The collector – who wishes to remain anonymous – has donated her headpieces back to Eleanor who has chosen to hold the auction for LRH in honour of the collector’s father who died from cancer.
Each headpiece is named and hand packaged with a personally-written poem to reflect the sentiment of its creation.
“This is amazing. This lady was well-known for wearing beautiful designer dresses and wore these headpieces to work in Traralgon every day,” Eleanor said.
“Some of these pieces won Fashions of the Field. Every piece meant something to her, and to me as the designer.”
LRH is aiming to raise $283,000 for equipment that will help urologists more effectively treat kidney stones and prostate conditions, improving treatment outcomes and recovery times for patients.
It will mean that benign or cancerous tumours can be removed without incisions for prostate patients, and kidney or urinary stones can be removed in one procedure.
Eleanor describes herself
as a “hair embellisher” and uses natural materials, millinery fabrics, crystals, beads and precious stones
to create her work.
One of her pieces featured on the front page of the Herald Sun worn by British racing presenter Francesca Cumani, while another was worn by the wife of a corporate identity to greet the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
“It’s like wearing a piece of art on your head. Some pieces can take several weeks to create. It’s not just about the headpiece, but about how people feel when they wear it,” Eleanor said.
“I just want people to be spellbound when they see this exhibition. Hopefully it will generate interest in fundraising for LRH and people will make their own donations when placing their bid.”
One Woman’s Collection will run from September 25 to October 2 at the Traralgon Courthouse with a silent auction.
To donate to the LRH fundraising appeal, visit the My Cause website.
