Fresh from presenting at Te Wiki Āhua o Aotearoa 2026, emerging designer Ella Rhodes is quickly carving out a distinct visual language of her own. A graduate of Auckland University of Technology’s Fashion Design programme, Rhodes approaches femininity through an experimental lens — blending historical references, unconventional fabrication, and sculptural silhouettes. Her work plays with texture, weight, and proportion, resulting in garments that feel at once romantic, subversive, and deeply considered.
In conversation with Ella Rhodes
How would you describe the world of Ella Rhodes in a few sentences?
Centred around experimental fashion, the world of Ella Rhodes is constantly evolving. It considers identity, emotion, and agency, exploring how clothing can give the wearer a sense of feeling, power, and presence.
Where do you tend to look for inspiration?
My inspiration varies, but it often stems from how I’m feeling in a particular moment and what I’m experiencing at the time. Recently, I have been drawing on stories from my family as a source of inspiration and connection to my heritage. It’s always interesting to sit down and hear a new story I would have otherwise never known. I think it’s a really poetic way of holding onto memories that would otherwise be lost to time.
Can you talk us through your design process?
My process generally starts by plastering all of my ideas, research, and random thoughts on my studio wall. I like to think of it as building a universe rather than just a collection, so I bring in music, film, and art to deepen that world. From there, I begin to refine and pull out the strongest threads. I’ve started to think of the next part of the process as ‘success through failure’. I often have to try four or five ideas out physically before something sticks. That process of testing, eliminating, and trusting my intuition is really important to how I develop work.
Are there any particular techniques, fabrics, or construction details that have become signatures within your work?
I keep coming back to wool coating. I made a series of dresses out of it, and it became such an exciting experiment in texture, weight, and silhouette. It’s a material that feels really versatile when you start to look at it more abstractly. I’ve even made a pair of hot pants out of it! I’m also drawn to fabric treatments like screen printing, particularly using it to create one-off textiles and unique surfaces. Screen-printed stripes were a vital part of my last collection, and really shaped the visual language of the work.
What have been some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned navigating the industry as an emerging creative?
One of the biggest lessons has been the importance of talking to people and building connections. So much of the industry is about relationships, and I’ve learned a lot just from putting myself in rooms I might have initially felt intimidated by. I’ve realised just how important it is to step outside your comfort zone and not be afraid to take up space. As an emerging creative, you don’t always feel fully ready, but you learn so much faster by showing up anyway.
Looking ahead, where do you hope to take your work and career next?
What excites me most is the unknown at this stage, being in a position where there’s still so much to learn and so many directions it could go. I’m really excited to keep collaborating with all the talented creatives we have in New Zealand, and to continue being a part of a scene that feels really dynamic and full of energy right now
