Five New Zealand Designers You Want to Know

“For a small country far from the fashion capitals of Paris, New York and Milan, New Zealand fashion designers punch above their weight. Just look at Karen Walker’s empire spanning clothing, accessories, and homeware to understand the spirit of New Zealand design,” Emma Do writes for Australian online city guide Broadsheet.

“But now there is a young guard, fresh from design school, who are getting noticed, too. There’s something to be said for New Zealand’s geographical challenge, which means designers don’t follow trends but tend to dictate them,” Do writes.

“At [Australia’s] Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week last year, Net-a-Porter’s fashion director Lisa Aiken scooped up two New Zealand labels: Maggie Marilyn and Georgia Alice. [This month] the International Woolmark Prize announced New Zealand label Harman Grubiša (pictured) as one of its two regional winners.

“Giselle Farhat, director and founder of online retailer My Chameleon, has picked up New Zealand labels Georgia Alice and Paris Georgia for their ‘clear vision’ and ‘unique perspective’. Her site will soon stock a third Kiwi label, Mahsa.”

Ahead of New Zealand Fashion Week, which begins on 28 August, Do includes the following names “that offer a fresh perspective, from brand-new designers to those continuing to find success.”

They are: Maggie Hewitt’s label Maggie Marilyn, Georgia Currie’s label Georgia Alice, Jessica Grubiša and Madeleine Harman as Harman Grubiša, husband-and-wife team Claire Hammon and Greg Fromont’s label Meadowlark, and friends Paris Mitchell and Georgia Cherrie, who work under the label Paris Georgia.

Original article by Emma Do, Broadsheet, August 25, 2017.