Designers confirmed for te Koanaga Fashion Show

PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, August 25

Designers confirmed for te Koanaga Fashion Show.

Three leading designers will make their debut at this year’s Te Koanga Fashion Show, being held as part of the National Waiata Maori Music Awards in Hawke’s Bay next month.

The trio includes designers Ana Hau and Raewyn Tumaki, who operate their labels from Auckland, and Tutina Pasene who operates her family-based company in Otaki.

The three will be among five Hawke’s Bay designers and eight more from the EIT Hawke’s Bay’s Fashion Apparel Certificate, Year 2 intake, whose work will appear at this year’s Te Koanga Fashion Show.

The show mixes Maori music with Maori fashion and will be held at the historic Hawke’s Bay Opera House in Hastings.

Te Koanga means “new beginnings” as the show is held at the start of Spring, in conjunction with the annual National Waiata Maori Music Awards.

Ana Hau (Nga Puhi, Te Rarawa) was the winner of the Haute Couture section at Miromoda 2010, which allowed her to show New Zealand Fashion Week 2010.

She has worked as a designer for over a decade and is now looking to break into the international market after success in New Zealand.

Ana says her collection at Te Koanga will be a mixture of pieces suitable for the kaupapa, new beginnings, and people should be “prepared to be wowed”.

“It is an honour and privilege to be invited to such an awesome kaupapa, showcasing along side other fabulous designers and presenting a wow showcase for the audience.”

Raewyn Tumaki (Ngati Porou, Ngati Awa, Te Arawa) has operated the Norwin NZ-Aotearoa label for six years but she has worked in the clothing industry for 26 years. She has been successfully selling her clothing throughout New Zealand, Australia and is currently expanding into America, UK and Holland.

Her expertise and credibility working as a seamstress and pattern maker in production and sample rooms has generated opportunities on film sets.

“I have had the privilege and honour to participate in many fashion shows over the years assisting some of the very talented, artistic and astute designers within Aotearoa,” Raewyn says.

“The most exciting thing for me is watching the growth and development of Maori designers within the industry and this includes the success of the National Waiata Maori Music Awards with its positive impact on the Maori arts.

“In anticipation of the Waiata Maori Music Awards, Te Koanga Fashion Show, I look forward to showcasing my brand as a gift to my many loyal clients, friends and whanau that have supported my brand from its humble beginnings.”

Tutina Pasene (Rarotongan, Niuean and Tahitian descent) and her sons Rerehau Pasene-Grennell and Arumaki Pasene-Grennell are fashion designers trading as Tutina Pasene ™ working towards breaking new ground in the Maori and Pasifika menswear.

Tutina is a former Style Pasifika finalist and her brand includes corporate, formal and casual garments for men. Tutina and her son’s commitment to producing an intelligent well thought out design are evident in the range exhibited today, through stockiest in Wellington, Palmerston North, Whangarei and Otaki.

At Te Koanga, Tutina Pasene ™ will showcase shirts Arumaki designed for well-known entertainer Frankie Stevens as part of a celebrity range initiative scheme through Whitireia Polytechnic, to help students interested in breaking into the clothing industry.

“We are excited and honoured to be part of the National Waiata Maori Music Awards Te Koanga Fashion Show, it’s another type of audience to be able to promote our work” Tutina says.

Hawke’s Bay Designers
There are five Hawke’s Bay designers preparing their work for the Te Koanga Fashion Show this year.

It includes Kui Tomoana, (Rongomaiwahine, Ngati Kahungunu), from Hastings and is a contemporary weaver and has produced many outstanding garments for galleries and shows, including World of Wearable Arts where she was a finalist. Some of the work she has been commissioned to create have been for international and national galleries. Her contemporary weaving style is boldly creative following forms that seem to defy gravity and the stiffness of the materials she works with. Her work this year follows a theme of “Nga Hua o te Koanga”, a brazen revelry of the fruits of spring, the blooms that herald the onset of summer.

Christina Rhodes (Ngati Kahungunu, Rakaipaaka), from Napier, has worked at the Hawke’s Bay EIT for 20 years and where she has now heads the educational institution’s Certificate in Fashion Apparel programme. This will be her second year at Te Koanga but the first year for a group of her students who she has encouraged to show at the annual event. She exceeds expectation for fashion and has taught many designers, who are now very successful. Her collection this year at Te Koanga will be based on an inscription in a bible written by her grandmother and given to her in 1967. The inscription reads: Kia kaha, Kia a u ki te pai which means “Cleave to that which is good”.

Maakarita Paku (Ko Ngai Tuhoe, Ngati Ruapanu, Ngati Kahungunu), from Napier, is managing director and fashion designer of Tribal Fibres, Napier, which specialises in indigenous art based on Maakarita’s whakapapa which includes Maori and Native American links. Te Koanga is the focal point, show event of the year for Tribal Fibres® alongside a collaborated exhibition in June of this year celebrating Nga Tuahine Tuawhitu – Seven Sisters curated by Ngatai Huata at The Hastings Community Art Centre. Tribal Fibres® looks upon Waiata Maori Music Awards 2011 as the annual event of the year for our Kahungunu whanau-based design label.

Marlene Greaves (Ngaati Maahuta, Ngaati Kahungungu, Ngaaati Raukawa), from Hastings, started her fashion business One Red Thread about 18 months ago in Hastings. From costumes for pantomimes to beautiful bridal arrangements, Marlene has a range of beautiful fabrics sourced personally from overseas as well as here in New Zealand. The Spare Room in Frimley, Hastings, is the workroom for One Red Thread. In there you’ll find some locally made garments, funky handbags and a range of fabulous New Zealand made jewellery. “It’s our privilege to be showing at Te Koanga this year. We’re excited to be a part of this celebration of Maori creativity.”

Lena Kuru (Ngati Kahungunu), from Hastings, is a graduate of the Bachelor of Design course from Wanganui Design School (2000) and has showed a Style Pasifika in the past. She has been designing clothes and patterns since she was a child and now seeks to make that dream and artistic talent a reality in the pieces she is designing in this year’s Te Koanga Fashion Show. ”I have always had a passion and love in the arts from acrylic painting to arts and crafts and designing clothes and apparel. I am excited to share my vision and creativity in Te Koanga and look forward to further ventures and networking in the fashion/design industry here in Aotearoa.”

The nine EIT Hawke’s Bay students who will each show one garment at the show include Litia Sapati, Kahira Shepherd, Hannah Goodchild, Jade Costen, Erin Goodfellow, Holly Jackson, Ashley Ward, Katey Jewell and Rowena Coulsby.

ENDS

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