AROHANUI

means big love....
Winter pieces at House of Aroha

winter 10 colours

3 Jumpers Project

These garments were created for the 3 Jumpers Project; Wholegarment Design exploration for the The Endless Garment Exhibition. The project was set up to present the design dialogue between designer and technician. In the exhibition catalogue the email conversations are recorded over 5 pages; which very interestingly (and candidly) reveals the process from idea to outcome in this project. My intention with these pieces was to reduce the knitted form to just thread in 3 processes.

Endless Garment Catalogue

Finally have an exhibition catalogue in my hands.

New Selvedge

New Selvedge issue has arrived with a nice little article on the The Endless Garment Exhibition. It features Issy Miyake's APOC piece which was exhibited. Theres a good reference to the APOC concept on
Design Boom. Apparently Dai Fujiwara's lecture at RMIT filled a theatre of 700 people. A complete sell-out. Overall the exhibition showcased a really broad range of designers using new machine technology. It closes this week, and there's been loads of reviews; but my favourite one is from Real Time Magazine. I think the machine component created a very interestng and different perspective for the viewer; and a very favourable one too.

Life in Aotearoa

New stockist in Napier, House of Aroha showcasing the best of NZ fashion, art, & music.

Selvedge Magazine

Editorial in Selvedge MagazineJan/Feb issue; My mag arrived only this morning looking pretty tired, must have come across by sea, and on its arrival finally jammed in the letterbox folded in half with the fold across the 'do not bend' sticker. Must have had a tiff with my Napier postman while it sang - "I'm a long long way from the UK!"

Winter 10

Snippets of winter collection; mohair handknitted detail - going into store soon.... to Alice Euphemia and RPM.

End of Summer

1 March is officially beginning of Autumn; its usually my benchmark to get A/W deliveries out the door and into store. Will be posting Winter images soon; so goodbye Summer 09 collection - I was particularly fond of this one; silk and linen knits; both hand and machine. xx

Bangarra Dance

Costume created for Designer Jenny Irwin for the Bangarra Dance Company ; 'hot wind dress' for 'Clan' performance in 2005. These images were part of the presentation I made during the artists floor talk on 12 February 2010.

Works at the Exhibition

I gave an artists floor talk on 12 February for the The Endless Garment Exhibition at RMIT Gallery. During the lecture, I got asked questions like… "so now your clothes are hanging in a gallery space; do we call it art?” Disappointingly to some, I didn’t care to make the distinction (between art and fashion); I’m not fussed about the word ‘art’ as a reference for a higher culture; or as an improvement on a culture. Art happens everyday, like fashion. Fashion is an interesting communication tool; a creative visual language. It’s a system of symbols much the same as graphics, or even music for that matter. And within that communication system there will be parameters of complexity and layers that averse, repel, delight and inspire to aspire to broad audiences with differing receptivity; it records a moment in time; an historical imprint. One must find their own meaning in it; that’s what’s interesting about fashion exhibitions.




The 3 Jumpers Project: whole garment knitting machine technology.



The 3 jumpers project I saw as an opportunity to create 2 pieces that progressed from form to thread; where thread was used to exploit or benefit the garment rather than used in the absence of stitches; this could only develop during the process of knitting. Once the first swatch was knitted it was easy to determine the forms based on the movement and integrity of the fabric. The technician was pivotal in that decision making process; and in the recommendation of structure to hold its integrity and for me to then decide where to push the disintegration of the fabric; to create movement, and to balance light and density; and then to decide on shape – where to increase and decrease stitches in the garment to determine its manouver over the body.

WORKSHOP

I will be conducting a Workshop on the knitting construction patterns on 12 February at RMIT Gallery 2-4 pm. Reserved for only a small group, so get in quick to get these new and limited edition handmade ebony knitting needles as part of the material kit; the essential TOOLS for the CONSTRUCTION KNITTING PATTERNS. It will be a hands-on workshop to guide you through the making of the pieces in the Construction No 2 pattern. The material kit will also include BESPOKE ALPACA YARN + the knitting pattern.