Seam - The Living Art of Wellington Fashion

24 June - 23 July 2000 in the Hirschfeld Gallery
Seam brings the living art of fashion into the gallery. The six Wellington fashion designers included in this exhibition were invited to create a haute-couture outfit. They were not presented with a specific design concept, but given free rein to explore their creativity and vision outside the usual restrictions of the marketplace. Seam presents the resulting six design fantasies.

Seam includes five established Wellington designers: Zana Feuchs, Robyn Mathieson, Andrea Moore, Starfish, and Megan Tuffery, as well as the emerging menswear designer Giao Ngoc Tran.

Zana Feuchs studied clothing and textiles at Wellington Polytechnic from 1987 until 1988. In 1989 she launched her own label with a governmental business development grant, selling from a stall in Wellington’s Wakefield Market. She opened her first shop, ZFA, in 1993 and relocated to current premises in 1999. Feuchs’ designs are available from outlets throughout New Zealand and Australia.

With training in fashion design from Wellington Polytechnic, Robyn Mathieson opened her sole-trading store River in 1993. In 1997 Mathieson won the Amcal Leisurewear section in the Smokefree Fashion Awards and in 1998 she was awarded Highly Commended in the Wools of New Zealand. In 1999 she renamed her store Robyn Mathieson and expanded to include a menswear label. Mathieson has been selling wholesale throughout New Zealand and Australia since 1997. She was a co-organiser of the now bi-annual Wellington Collection fashion show with Andrea Moore.

Invited to participate in the Young Generation Parade at Australian Fashion Week—a first for Wellington fashion—Andrea Moore has recently made a striking debut appearance on the international fashion scene. Moore began her fashion design career by returning to study at Wellington Polytechnic in her mid-twenties. She established her label in 1997 and now sells throughout New Zealand, as well as in Sydney and Melbourne. Her garments regularly appear on the cat-walk and in major fashion magazines.

Giao Ngoc Tran graduated from Wellington Polytechnic with an Advanced Diploma in Fashion Design and Technology in 1997. The following year she launched her label Giao, Vietnamese for ‘wealth’ and ‘knife’. The Giao menswear range wholesales nationwide, and encompasses made to measure mens and womens apparel. Ngoc Tran also designs for other companies in a contract capacity. In 1996 she won the Tailored Excellence Section in the New Zealand Fernmark Wool Awards.

Laurie Foon and Fran Hornsby established Starfish in 1993 with their store in Wellington’s Willis Street Village. Starfish relocated in 1996, and in 1998 began selling nation-wide. This year Foon and Hornsby have penetrated the Australian market, selling wholesale through outlets in Sydney and Melbourne. Starfish are also known for their community involvement including campaigning against the controversial Inner City Bypass.

Megan Tuffery graduated from Wellington Polytechnic with a Certificate in Clothing and Textiles in 1990. Tuffery built her label designing clothing to measure while tutoring part-time at Wellington Polytechnic/Massey University. She was a Benson & Hedges Fashion Awards finalist in the Evening-wear section in 1995 and a finalist in the Smoke Free Fashion Awards, New Zealand Wool section in 1996. Megan Tuffery began selling through stores in Wellington and Auckland in 1996. Her clothes are now sold throughout New Zealand and in Melbourne.

 

Amber Wilkie & Rebecca Wilson