STYLE
CREATIVE JUNCTION
PAGE 21
TALENTED: Minnie-May Niha will launch
her own fashion label at the InnoNative
Markets on October 28.
A 23-year-old AUT fashion student
from Whangarei will launch her
own fashion label this month.
Minnie-Mayd Clothing will launch
on October 28. The label will fea-
ture one-off, unique pieces made
from repurposed fabric.
Creator, Minnie-May Niha, is pas-
sionate about creating pieces that
are both ethical and promote sus-
tainability.
For as long as she can remember,
Minnie-May has been tearing up
any old clothes she could get her
hands on.
“I just can’t believe how much
fabric will go to waste,” says the
23-year-old. “It’s crazy how many
people chuck fabric out that you
can make anything out of.”
Minnie-May has been recognised
as a finalist in The Pick:2017, a
Northland business challenge co-
ordinated by The Orchard Busi-
ness and Events Hub.
She says it’s exciting to be recog-
nised for something that w as ini-
tially just a hobby.
Minnie-Mayd Launches
“I’ve always had a passion for de-
signing and creating clothes for
myself,” she says “As a student I
didn’t have much money for fab-
rics so I looked to second-hand
shops for a cheaper option.”
When friends and family started
requesting their own garments,
Minnie-May started to think of her
designs as a viable business op-
tion. She left her business degree
to pursue a Bachelor of Design
and the rest is history!
Minnie May says fashion design
is more than drawing designs and
creating them yourself
“It’s a way of telling your story
through your artwork…I work in a
way where I don’t know what I’m
making until I have the material in
front of me. I look at the texture,
colour, fabric then I figure out what
I can do with that particular mate-
rial.”
Minnie-Mayd Clothing will feature
one-off, unique designs made
from recycled fabric. The designs
will be showcased as one of the
stands in the InnoNative markets
to be held later this month.
The InnoNative markets, spon-
sored by He Puna Marama Trust-
will be an opportunity for Maori
business owners and social enter-
prises to showcase their products
and services.
The markets will be held along
Reyburn Lane from 10am-2pm on
October 28.
Registration for stall holders is
still open, contact a.ruka@mo-
konz.co.nz. For more information
visit
www.facebook.com/innon-
ativemarket .