POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Ken doll wearing Qantas flight attendants uniform used from 1987-1994

Object No. 2010/70/1-22

This donation consists of forty-two Ken and Barbie dolls dressed in Qantas uniforms hand-made by John Willmott-Potts, who worked as a cook and flight steward with Qantas for 24 years. Each doll represents a different Qantas uniform design from 1948-2009 and where possible John matched the Barbie to the date the uniform was released. The uniforms were crafted from original patterns which a friend of Willmott-Potts miniaturised to enable John to fit them for the Barbie and Ken dolls. This collection brings together, and makes visible, the entire set of Qantas uniforms in a non-pictorial format. The patterns, and some of the cloth used, have been sourced from originals. They were originally used as part of a travelling display entitled 'Stiches in Time'; a talk on the history of Qantas which John delivered to schools, museums and libraries in rural New South Wales. John Willmott-Potts's story, and collection, is a unique example of one man's passion for this iconic Australian Company and the culture which it bred among its staff.

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Summary

Object Statement

Doll (1 of 42), Ken wearing Qantas flight attendant uniform from 1987-1994, plastic / textile, doll made by Mattel Inc, United States of America, costume made by John Willmott-Potts, Australia, 1988-2010

Physical Description

The Ken doll, with blonde hair, is wearing a pair of grey trousers and a white collared shirt with a black tie and black shoes. He is also wearing blue blazer, with gold buttons, red cuffs and a red triangle patch on his chest.

DIMENSIONS

Width

90 mm

Depth

45 mm

PRODUCTION

Notes

This is a miniature version of the Qantas uniform designed by Yves Saint Laurent and worn by Qantas flight attendants from 1987 - 1994. It is part of a collection of miniature Qantas uniforms made by former Qantas steward John Willmott Potts between 1988 - 2010.

SOURCE

Acquisition Date

18 October 2010

Copyright for the above image is held by the Powerhouse and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please submit an Image Licensing Enquiry for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative licence.

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