design

Ōtautahi rising: the Christchurch designer celebrating her city

Christchurch-based graphic designer Donna Robertson is devoted to creating illustrations that grab people’s attention and hearts. She finds inspiration in her beloved city of Ōtautahi Christchurch, creating illustrations that celebrate city’s revitalisation. Her work has recently been recognised by the Christchurch City Council, who value her designs as as gifts for visiting dignitaries, and her beautiful designs also feature in this year’s Felt Christmas Gift Guide.

Cut from her own cloth: from fabric design to making fabulous products

Talented and busy maker Samantha Jones lives in Wellington with her husband and two boys, and has a third baby boy on the way. Working two part-time jobs as well as raising her youngsters, she sews at night when the world is asleep. “My mum raised six girls on her own and taught us how to be resourceful – that’s for sure! All of my sisters are clever and can make cool things, and I would love to open up a little shop one day full of our family’s creations.”

Creative gold: how Auckland designer Marigold Janezic found inspiration in collaboration

Marigold Janezic of Gold Creative is a South Islander born and raised, but has also lived in Western Samoa, Brazil and Ireland. After travelling and exploring, she returned home to Aotearoa to settle in Auckland near the beautiful Waitakere ranges. The beauty of the New Zealand bush and bird life are an ongoing inspiration for her – and she challenges herself to try and put her stamp on this popular design theme. For Marigold, the creative way to meet this challenge has been collaboration, and she has found a fruitful creative partnership with Ronja Schipper of Re:purpose. Together they produce the beautiful Birds of a Feather card range.

Featured seller: Evelyn Rose Design

Sarita Muir’s love of animals is very apparent in her creations and in her day-to-day life, as she divides her time between design for her label Evelyn Rose Design and rescuing unwanted rabbits and guinea pigs. Sarita finds it an exciting time to be a designer-maker, saying “The digital printing age has really embraced small businesses, creating new opportunities to print small runs of fabric.”

Colour me modern

Much like the mid-century modern architectural and design movement, a core note of contemporary design is simplicity, functionality and clean lines. Decoration is sparing and striking, while colour can be bold or limited to the barest accents.

Home Sewn: a Kiwi design story


Home Sewn

By the New Zealand Fashion
Museum · Reviewed by Jo Drysdall

I still remember the thrill of being allowed to look through my mother’s wardrobe of home-sewn clothes when I was a little girl. As a fashionable young woman, my mother had sewn most of her own outfits: party frocks with fitted bodices and flared, flirty skirts, neat little shift dresses, and tailored, timeless Chanel-style suits. Home Sewn begins with a brief historical overview that places these homemade treasures in their Kiwi context…