Nicole van Vuuren
Growing up with a father who worked in a furniture factory, Nicole van Vuuren’s “waste not, want not” ethos was instilled at a young age, when she would experiment making clothes using upholstery offcuts. Van Vuuren is one of a growing number of designers championing sustainable fashion in Aotearoa, with each of her garments crafted using a circular design method. Although she’d been utilising fabric waste in her creations for years, it was the pandemic that prompted van Vuuren to focus more intently on her own label. “We all had a little more time to consider what was most important to us. For me, this coincided with a period of mixed emotions about working in the New Zealand industry,” she explains. “The time in industry did open my eyes to the abundant source of waste textiles that were going to landfill. I had been working with scraps for a while already and it seemed like the right time to be able to create a narrative around the issue.” Operating from her studio on Karangahape Road in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, van Vuuren meticulously hand-makes each of her streetwear-style garments, embracing the inherent imperfections and asymmetry that characterise fabric waste. As her brand awareness continues to grow, she remains steadfast in her pursuit of “trying to keep learning, growing and figuring out how best to run a fashion business that aligns with [her] values”.
Rebe
Most people know Rebe Burgess for her luxurious leather footwear, but as of late last year, that’s all changed. Offering elegant staples for the contemporary woman, Burgess knows more than a thing or two about elevated dressing. With a long tenure as head buyer at high-end boutique Muse behind her (while simultaneously running her eponymous footwear and accessory brand Rebe), it was a natural leap for Burgess to join the world of ready-to-wear. “I noticed a gap in the market for functional and high-quality wardrobe essentials,” she says. “Having spent most of my working career in retail and fashion, I have closely collaborated with numerous clients, gaining insights into what women truly desire in their wardrobes.” Her debut ready-to-wear collection, which launched last year, showcases
a considered mix of tailoring, cotton basics and timeless eventwear — and fulfils Burgess’ intention that “every piece can be mixed and matched into numerous combinations”. Designed to effortlessly complement the brand’s range of footwear and hats, it’s Burgess’ focus on crisp lines and quality
materials that have garnered her clothing a loyal following in only a short time.
Adrion Atelier
For Adrian Williams, the founder of Adrion Atelier, clothing serves as a powerful form of self-expression. Committed to crafting classic, genderless garments with a point of difference, his brand slogan “an understated overstatement” seems to perfectly encapsulate his approach towards design. “I started Adrion because I’ve always been searching for clothing that is unique and has some element of deconstruction,” says Williams. “Normally when I find these pieces, they are priced high and somewhat mass-produced. In creating the brand, I aim to provide unique pieces that are well constructed and produced [using] a more ‘atelier’ method — in limited runs.” While it’s not uncommon to find vibrant hues among the brand’s collections, Williams’ most recent range borrows its colour palette from nature, featuring “tones reminiscent of black and beige sand, along with vibrant hidden hues that reflect the diverse shades found along the coast”. Though still in its infancy (having launched in March 2023), the brand has quickly established a clear aesthetic and vision for its future. With new collections and collaborations due to debut over the coming months, Williams urges his supporters to “keep an eye out”.
Words: Amberley Colby
Images: Supplied
