I am a Māori designer based in
Wellington.
I believe in working to curate a beautiful life for myself, and I strive to help others do the same.
Expect documentation of my design projects, my adventures and
my clothing.
Fashion & Digital Textiles Design
This collection was designed as a personal, visual essay exploring firstly my own whakapapa (genealogy) and secondly the ethnic landscape of post-colonial Aotearoa (New Zealand. I was interested in the merging and intersection of cultures and the notion of identity in a time of globalisation. What is the tikanga (protocol) when it comes to using cultural imagery and how does one design a contemporary collection that is both a reflection of history and heritage, without perpetuating archaic tropes and stereotypes. At a New Zealander what imagery is public domain? This lead to the development of a textiles and conceptual collection.
Inspired by the English Arts and Crafts Movement it features images of fauna and flora native to Aotearoa. The collection references a kimono sleeve, acknowledging the often overlooked history of Eastern Asian Immigration to Aotearoa. The cross-laced embellishment are a nod to the tukutuku panels that make up the ‘ribs’ of many Marae (Maori meeting houses). The marae acts as a body, a vessel for Maori hapu (family) and (tribes), from which relationship, community and culture springs.
This collection is as much about the cultural motifs not used as it is about the visual motifs created. In these times of post-colonialism, or perhaps early de-colonialism, as more Maori people too are immigrating away from their turunguwaewae (place to stand), Maori designers must be involved in the discussion around how New Zealand visual language evolves.
