Shona Tawhiao

(b. )

Kete Couture 2020
Harakeke
670mm h x 420mm w x 200mm d

Artist designer and weaver Shona Tāwhiao (Ngai Te Rangi, Whakatōhea, Te Whanau Āpanui) has exhibited her distinct style of raranga woven work for 25 years. Having trained in traditional and contemporary Māori raranga weaving techniques and methods, by Kahutoi Te Kanawa. Tāwhiao’s talent has been described as exquisite and undeniably unique.

The fusing of her love of fashion with her specialised techniques in weaving has enabled Tāwhiao to create Haute Couture from flax fibre known to Māori as harakeke. This has resulted in her unique style being dubbed “Harakeke Couture”. Tāwhiao’s multi award-winning collections of Harakeke Couture have been presented in New Zealand, London, Malaysia, Fiji, Hong Kong and Melbourne Fashion Weeks since 2010.

Tāwhiao has showcased her works internationally at the MaMo Arts Festival in Honolulu, Chapel St Roch in Paris and in London at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich to an international group of museum curators. In 2016 Tāwhiao was invited by Dr Maia Nuku to participate in a three week residency at the Oceanic Department of the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Here she was able to study weaving from around the globe in the museums store rooms and share her style.

Tāwhiao leant her creative influence to films such as the Māori Merchant of Venice, River Queen and Deadlands. In 2012 she designed costumes for ‘The Māori Troilus and Cressida’ that opened Shakespeare’s Olympics at The Globe Theatre in London to rave reviews. This led to her being nominated and winning the Brancott Estate ‘Best Costume Designer of the Year’ at The Chapman Tripp Theatre awards in Wellington New Zealand.

Tāwhiao is focusing on the Tāwhiao7 Brand of ready to wear and accessories opening an online store soon. Based at home in Mauao The Bay of Plenty Tāwhiao continue’s to create woven Avant-Garde and Harakeke Couture.