Frances Edith Cresswell
Frances Edith Cresswell (née Buss, 23 March 1910 – 5 June 1986), commonly known as Fanny Buss, was a textile and fashion designer from New Zealand active from the 1950s to the 1980s. Buss was also a printmaker, writer and book illustrator. Examples of her fashion designs are held in the collections of museums around New Zealand including in the Auckland War Memorial Museum, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Otago Museum, MTG Hawke's Bay and also feature in the New Zealand Fashion Museum.
Also recorded as Frances Edith Buss · Fanny Buss · Frances Cresswell
Frances Edith Cresswell
Published anonymously by the Christchurch Star · http: nzfashionmuseum.org.nz/fanny-buss/ · Public domain
- Name
- Fanny Buss
- Birth Name
- Frances Edith Buss
- Born
- 23 March 1910
- Birthplace
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- Died
- 5 June 1986
- Education
- Canterbury College School of Art
- Known for
- Fashion design, writer, printmaking and business entrepreneur
- Full name
- Frances Edith Buss.
- Nationality
- New Zealand.
- Occupation
- artist, writer, printmaker, businessperson and designer.
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Documentary summary
Frances Edith Cresswell (née Buss, 23 March 1910 – 5 June 1986), commonly known as Fanny Buss, was a textile and fashion designer from New Zealand active from the 1950s to the 1980s. Buss was also a printmaker, writer and book illustrator. Examples of her fashion designs are held in the collections of museums around New Zealand including in the Auckland War Memorial Museum, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Otago Museum, MTG Hawke's Bay and also feature in the New Zealand Fashion Museum.
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wikidata · Q65037105 · wikipedia · Fanny Buss
In this article
Biography
Biography
Buss was a working member of the Canterbury Society of the Arts.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Fanny Buss • Birth Name — Frances Edith Buss • Born — 23 March 1910 • Birthplace — Christchurch, New Zealand • Died — 5 June 1986 • Education — Canterbury College School of Art • Known for — Fashion design, writer, printmaking and business entrepreneur
Early life and family
Early life and family
Buss was born in Christchurch on 23 March 1910, the daughter of George Howard Buss and Frances Ethel Buss (née Pilbrow) who were farming at Scargill in North Canterbury. As a child she boarded in Christchurch and Timaru before studying at the Canterbury College School of Art. In 1929 she lived in a "cheap bedsit" with Rita Angus and Jessie Lloyd. In 1932, Buss married Douglas Cresswell, and the couple went on to have four children.
Career
Career
Buss started printing fabric in the 1950s. She began with potato blocks then moved on to wood blocks and later screen printing. She started by selling table mats, curtains and beach shirts, which provided an income for her family. Buss labelled her garments with her maiden name. In the 1970s her dresses and coats were worn by New Zealand's first Māori woman cabinet minister, Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan.
Death
Death
Buss died on 5 June 1986. She had been predeceased by her husband in 1960.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1910
Frances Edith Cresswell born at Christchurch.
1986
Frances Edith Cresswell died.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
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Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Frances Edith Cresswell was recorded at birth as Frances Edith Buss. The authorities additionally record the headings Frances Edith Buss, Fanny Buss and Frances Cresswell. She married Douglas Cresswell. Recorded as artist, writer, printmaker, businessperson and designer.
Identity and origins
Recognition and collections
Work by Frances Edith Cresswell is
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Otago Museum and Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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