Nana Frew inspires
Shirley Frew may have finished her time as a teacher at Matamata College but the impression she made on students continues to shine.
It’s a connection that will remain in the hearts of many, in particular Louise (Lulu) Wilcox.
She and many of her former sewing classmates will reunite with Frew at the 2018 Matamata College reunion.
Shirley – known affectionately as Nana Frew – joined Matamata College in 1969 as a relief teacher in sewing.
‘‘I went to relieve for a term and never left,’’ she said.
‘‘I started off with just a few students and it got bigger and bigger.
‘‘The kids were so creative, so I tried to push their creativity and we did all sorts of things.’’
It was in this class that Wilcox, now a celebrity fashion stylist and editor, discovered her passion for creative design.
‘‘I used to skip classes to go to Nana Frew’s class to finish a project off,’’ Wilcox said.
‘‘Nana Frew always wanted me to get it done for awards evenings, so we would hide in there and get it done.’’
Nana Frew retired in 2013. Wilcox said she credits Nana Frew for her career as a stylist in New Zealand and Australia.
‘‘After leaving school I studied for a degree in Bachelor of Arts, majoring in costume design at AUT, but it wasn’t my thing.
‘‘No one knew what being a stylist meant, so I moved to Australia. I had to pursue that.’’
It was in Australia she got her big break in the industry, assisting in the MTV wardrobe department, meeting A-list musicians.
When her superior went on maternity leave, Wilcox was promoted.
Eventually she moved back to New Zealand to start her own business as a stylist, landing a job with
New Zealand Woman’s Day, where she still works.
She styles all the magazine’s featured celebrities, including musicians, actors and actresses, contestants of My Kitchen Rules, The Bachelor and Married at First Sight.
She is also the fashion editor for
Australian Woman’s Day and a Fashion in the Field judge at various race meets, including Matamata’s Breeders Stakes.
‘‘I am challenged every day. Sometimes I get a brief but I can’t know who these people are, it’s highly confidential. So I work with my imagination.’’
She said one of her most memorable first clients was former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark.
‘‘She refused everything I had on the rack. I had to sit her down and said ‘you do your job really well and I need you to appreciate my job and give me a chance’.
‘‘She ended up purchasing the whole rack.’’
Wilcox loves to attend the World of Wearable Arts competition and also scopes out new talent at the New Zealand Fashion Week.
‘‘I like to push for the starters because I know how hard it is. It’s just getting a start. It’s who you know at the end of the day.’’
Despite her busy career and being mum to two young girls, she always has time for Nana Frew whenever she visits Matamata.
The college reunion will be held in March 2018, to celebrate its 100th birthday.