Making fabrics and garments using raw materials provided by nature has a long history in Aotearoa New Zealand. Both Maori and Pakeha settlers to these islands had no choice but to create clothing from materials such as harekeke (flax), feathers and spun fibres. These crafts are still practised in the Nelson region today with Maori weaving groups active across the region’s marae and artists such as Sue Bateup still spinning, dying and weaving wool fabrics today. While their methods may be traditional, the garments they design are unique and contemporary. This is typical of Nelson, a region with a strong history of artistry. People come here with skill and passion that they apply through collaboration and inspiration to create works you just can’t resist.

The region’s training institution, the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) has long stimulated, sustained and attracted artists here. As the needs of the creative community have changed, so have the training courses on offer. Following a long history of training weavers in the region, NMIT began offering fashion design as a majoring subject as part of their Art and Design courses. This attracted talented tutors and students who now base themselves in the region, designing and producing garments that sell locally and nationally. With the energy and drive so commonly found in the creative community here, these designers are collaborating together and growing as a sector. Visit the designers profiled here and seek out their work. It’s a journey worth taking.

Nelson is also the birthplace of the internationally acclaimed iconic event, the Montana World of WearableArt Awards. Spawned from an idea by local sculptor Suzie Moncrieff in 1987, the WOW Awards is now an icon show of New Zealand creativity, imagination and the belief dreams can become reality. Surpassing the need for language or translation, they represent an international voice for creativity, imagination and culture. The ability to bring the essence of WOW to a large audience year round has always been Suzie’s dream. In October 2001 this dream came true with the opening of a permanent headquarters and museum (World of WearableArt and Collectable Cars) in Nelson. This permanent home for the WOW garment collection enables visitors to Nelson to trace the journey of WOW from its humble beginnings to the present, 364 days a year.

Visit Profile of the artist

Mary Andrews
Rome

Other members

Jill Alexander/ Madcat

Sue Broad

Morag Dean

Liza Eastman Quilt Art

Fibre Spectrum

Meg Hewlett

Louise Leggat

Rowena Lukomska

Ronnie Martin

Meg Nakagawa

Nelson Creative Fibre Group

Lucy Rainey

Te Awhi Rito

Unique Threads

Weavers Gallery