FRESH CHOICE

Aotearoa’s fashion industry is thriving, with a wave of emerging designers embracing the power of small and staying true to who they are. Style editor Zoe Walker Ahwa shares a few who have caught her eye.

Th ec oncept of“youth” can beac omplicated one inf ashion ,a nin dustry that has, in the past, idolised i tata ll costs. Fortunately in recent years there has been as hi ft,w ith increased diversity in the imagery we see – featuring th ey oung, ol d,a nd everyone in between –a n dan understanding that genuine style is less abo uta ge, tha ni t i sa mindset. It i sa lso true however that often, it’s th ey ounger generation that pushes fashion forward: experimenting with cloth esa nd personal styl east h eyd iscover an dex plo ret heir identity.

Th esa m eca n be said fo re merging designers; the next generation w hoh elp set th et one fo rw here fashion an dt he prevailing aestheti cw ill go next. I’ve been around long enough no wt o see several waves of exciting young talen te nter and gro wu pin the local industry, an dt h et hrill of discovering someone fresh never wan es–w hether it’s witnessing a standout collection from a fashion studen t,fi nding someone ata pop up store, o rata longstanding talent incubator such as iDD uned inF ashion ,w hich will be onf rom March 31-Apr il1 .N ow, it’s even easi erw ith the reac hof Instagram.

Fashion i sat ough industry, but a creative on ew orthy ofo ur suppo rt–w hether it’s buying something to cheris hfo r years to come, o rs imply following ay oung designer on socia lm edia if your budg etd oesn ’ta llo wa purchase right now.

1. CAITLIN SNELL @caitlinsnell_ In their own words: “Ethically produced and sustainabl yc onsidered pieces, that are handmade in New Zealand.” Of note to us: Bows! And lots of them. Caitlin creates oversized bow barrettes an d ba g sw itha zero waste approach , us ing dead stock and scrap silk, cotton an dw ool t o“create old fr om n ew”.

2. JESS GRINDELL @jessgrindell

In their own words: “A visua lp roject to dictate a powerfu lf emale aestheti ct hat represen ts w omen today. An energy created from th ed isadvantages wome nf ace day-to-day due to their gender.”

Of note to us: Grindell’s design se mbo dya powerful feminin ee nerg yw it hh er e questrian-inspired silk shirts in bold jewel tones, delicate corset covers and an unexpected streetwear edge (trucker cap sa nd flattering board shorts).

3. BAOBEI @baobei_label

In their own words: “A place t o pl ay.” Of note to us: Beginning as a jewellery bran d (t hei rc olourful resin heart pendants are a fashion insider favourite), Baobei h as e mbraced fun an d ex perimentation with the addition of slogan T-shirts, chain belts, temporary tattoo sa n d ty pography-focused phon e wa llpapers.

4. SHANNEN YOUNG @shannen_young

In their own words: “one of on ea n ds pecia lj ewels.”

Of note to us: Whimsica lj ewellery with an edge, including imperfect ribb on p endants, textural oversized star and heart earring sa nd other one-off works of wearable art. Shannen’s pieces are available to buy o rc ommission on Instagram.

5. NICOLE VAN VUUREN @ncolevanvuurn In their own words: “Very slow fashion.” Of note to us: Authentic use of upcycling ,w orking with off-cuts and scrap st o transform the min t op atchworklike garments. Sh ea lso run sNVVW orld, a studio an ds howroom on Auckland’s Karangahap eRd featuring her own design sa longside oth ery oung independent designers.

6. ASTROPRINCESS @astroprincess_

In their own words: “My designs are inspired by fashion asa for mof escapism, fantasy an db ody modification. As kids, we would dress u pin costumes and play make-beli eve–Ist ill see clothing through that lens.” Of note to us: Outrageously sexy and playful bikinis in bol ds hades and featuring happ ya nd sad clow nf aces, tatt oop rints, piercing sa nd more.

7. RHODA NUNN @rhodanunn

In their own words: “Playing wit hj uxtaposition and reference, I look to weave themes of nostalgi aa nd optimism throu ghm y designs, creating garments that are wistful, yet playful.” Of note to us: It was the frill yb loomers that first caught my eye, with their layers of ruffles an dr ibbon detail .I’ m a fa nof h ers imple but hyper adorabl ew hi tec otton dresses an dt op sw ith ribbon and lace edging.

8. JING HÉ @__jinghe__

In their own words: “My w ork elevates functionality and motion. Textures and lines of construction are att h ec ore ofm y pieces, providing practica lg arments that can bew orn bya ll in a variety of ways.”

Of note to us: Textured, layered streetwear that’s caugh tt he eye ofm any in the industry – the puffer jackets an d de nim in particular.