Wahine toa harakeke ensemble

This garment, 'Wahine Toa', has been assembled using pieces from Shona Tawhiao's Battle Cry 2015 and Rakeitia To Adorn 2016 collections. Mohawks, helmets, bones, horns, armour and black kupenga woven harakeke are combined to make a fierce warrior woman - wahine toa. These pieces are made to be visually interesting, dramatic and to attract attention. "I want the audience to engage with the garment on an emotional level and the wearer to be transformed; to becomes fearless, staunch, elegant, powerful, strong and ready for any battle, no longer fearful and timid." It is made from hand woven harakeke, dyed using commercial dyes and coated with black high gloss lacquer. The garment is Shona's interpretation of June Black's 'Costume to comfort and sustain the lost fearful and timid' for the exhibition, Intellectual Fashion Show 2016.

Details

Photographer: Fraser Chatham
Copyright: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 Licence
Designer: Shona Tawhiao
Manufacturing location: Mount Maunganui
Material: Harakeke New Zealand flax
Label: Tawhiao
Date: 2016