Move Over Trinny And Susannah - Here Comes Te Kohe

Publicity Release
Thursday October 1, 2009

Move Over Trinny And Susannah - Here Comes Te Kohe And The Team!

When it comes to finding a unique sense of style, this homegrown show has all the fashion forward tricks up its sleeve a viewer could want. FREESTYLE returns to Maori Television, revamped and refreshed for a second series, on Friday October 9 at 8:30 PM.

Series two brings back gorgeous presenter Veeshayne Patuawai from the first series, but this time she has two new co-hosts – Koha Alpass-Waru and Te Kohe Tuhaka – at her side.

Funky Koha comes from a radio background, while Te Kohe, who grew up in Gisborne with te reo as his first language, will be familiar to audiences from his high profile television roles. He played Kingi on Shortland Street and also hosts children’s cooking show Cool Kids Cooking, but FREESTYLE is his first presenting role in a grown up show.

The Te Atatu Peninsula resident says he’s always liked to dress well, but until recently he has relied on the great dress sense of his celebrity partner, actress Faye Smythe. His biggest lesson since working on FREESTYLE has been to make sure he’s comfortable in what he wears.

“It’s all about what sits well on your body,” he says. “I never thought I could get into a pair of skinny jeans so I was stoked when I managed to. Our fashion stylist Debbie Toko-Steven has put me in outfits that I would never have chosen for myself – which is great.”

He has also been on a learning curve when it comes to being on the other side of the interview.

“Interviewing people on location was a real challenge at first. Being an actor I’m used to being interviewed but I realised very quickly how different it is focusing on and questioning other people,” Te Kohe says.

As soon as he realised “it’s not about me – it’s about them” it all fell into place.

Other new elements introduced this series include brothers Jamus and Kimiora Webster, from champion national kapa haka team Waka Huia, as they present E Mara!, and discover the lengths women go to just to keep up with fashion trends. Bootylicious DIY helps viewers create ‘recession chic’, in short, looking stylish on a budget. And 12 lucky people are treated to a style transformation in Make Me Over, with the help of effervescent fashion stylist Debbie.

Join the team to learn more tips on how to create your own style when FREESTYLE premieres on Maori Television on Friday October 9 at 8.30 PM.

Episodic information:

Photography – Friday October 9 at 8.30 PM:
Viewers see a photo shoot with fashion photographer Damien Nikora (Ngati Kahungnu) who currently lives in Orewa but is originally from Fairfield, Hamilton.

Jewellery – Friday October 16 at 8.30 PM:
Double Olympian and ex-Tall Fern Tania Tupu (Ngati Porou) shows Te Kohe how she makes her taniko rings. The jewellery designer and retailer, who lives in Nelson, has also lived in and has an original Coastal Merchant shop in Raglan.

Sports – Friday October 23 at 8.30 PM:
Charmaine Love (Ngati Porou) makes Te Kohe his own personal basketball t-shirt using the “sublimation” technique. The Upper Hutt resident has her own Kia Kaha label with a studio based in Wellington. Her ‘Fergie dress’ was famously first worn by Black Eyed Peas lead singer Fergie at the Aria Awards in Australia.

Military – Friday October 30 at 8.30 PM:
Te Kohe visits mother and designer Kiri Nathan (Ngapuhi, Tainui) as she puts the finishing touches on her Miromoda entries. Kiri lives in Mt Wellington and was the winner of Westfield Style Pasifika 2008. She was also the winner of emerging section in the inaugural Miromoda Indigenous Fashion Awards 2009. Her work is showing at NZ Fashion Week.

Recycling – Friday November 6 at 8.30 PM:
Te Kohe receives a “freakover” from David ‘Mr Freak’ Roil (Ngati Porou). The designer specialises in one-off designs using recycled materials i.e. he makes men’s kilts from suit jackets and jackets from trousers. The Cuba St, Wellington resident makes clothes for the individual.

Shoes – Friday November 13 at 8.30 PM:
Shoe designer and designer of sunglasses,jandals and skins Wiremu Barriball (Ngati Raukawa, Te Atiawa, Te Rarawa) takes Te Kohe through the process of designing a shoe. Titahi Bay-based, he won the Supreme Award and established designer section of inaugural Miromoda Indigenous Fashion Awards 2009. His work is showing at NZ Fashion Week.

Making a Statement – Friday November 20 at 8.30 PM:
Teacher by day, aspiring designer by night Ana Hau (Ngapuhi, Te Rarawa) invites Te Kohe into her design studio. A finalist in Westfield Style Pasifika 2009, the AUT graduate is a direct descendant of Dame Whina Copper and teaches Fashion, Food and Maori at Northcote College.

Back to Work – Friday November 27 at 8.30 PM:
Hamilton clothing designer Aroha Wikotu (Whakatohea) shows Te Kohe the process of making one of her merino designs. She specialises in clothing for women over 30. She uses organic merino to make clothes for corporate working woman, under her own design label, Shikoba.

Hair – Friday December 4 at 8.30 PM:
Hair stylist specialist Mana Dave (Tahitian/Cook Island) of Manurewa shows Te Kohe the latest colour highlighting techniques for summer. He’s part of international Redken design team and is flown overseas to come up with new season looks and train stylists in new techniques. The winner of NZ Hair Stylist Awards also recently won the Gold in the Wella Trend Vision Colour Competition. He will be representing New Zealand in the International Trend Vision competition in Berlin this November.

Glamour – Friday December 11 at 8.30 PM:
Voted ‘best brows’ by Metro in 2008, Phoenix Renata (Ngati Porou) shapes Te Kohe’s eyebrows. The makeup artist has started up her own cosmetics line and lives in Henderson.

Natural – Friday December 18 at 8.30 PM:
New Lynn’s Rona Osborne (Kai Tahu/Ngati Pakeha) sets up for an exhibition showing her blanket designs. The designer and owner of Native Agent, in Kingsland, is known for using blankets in her designs.

Children – Friday December 25 at 8.30 PM:
Nadine Meddings (Ngati Ruanui) has a children’s wear label Rata and Ruby and has opened a shop, Atamira. The Raglan resident has researched and sourced organic cotton and dyes for her label.

The Best of FREESTYLE – Friday January 1 at 8.30 PM:
The best of the best of the series.

ENDS

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