MOANA CURRENTS: Fashion Workshop

Vaccine passports required.

MOANA CURRENTS: How Oceania and Colonial Fashions have influenced each other in Aotearoa/New Zealand

This is a special workshop based on our Moana Currents exhibition. Using local research and pieces from the MTG Hawke’s Bay, this workshop aims to teach how Maori, Pacifika, and Colonial Fashions have influenced each other through the history of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Based on both Fashion and Accessories within the local collection, we will look at how culture has influenced fashion spanning over 100 years of Aotearoa history.

Jackie Chapman is a Hawkes Bay-based fashion designer/historian. In 2021, she completed her Masters in Professional Creative Practice at the Eastern Institute of Technology. Her focus on Victorian fashion embellishments lead her to see many instances where both Maori and Colonial Fashions influenced each other. The stories that can be seen within historical garments are what make them exciting to view and research. Jackie is currently completing her New Zealand Certificate in Adult and Tertiary Teaching and volunteers at the MTG collections department.

Aiai was raised by her grandmother on Aitutaki, where she was exposed to the beautiful embroidery work of the Cook Island women. At the age of 10, she moved to NZ to be with the rest of her family. Her Passion for fashion began with her mother who was the only seamstress and tutor before she left the beloved homeland. Under the influence of two artist, Aiai was able to begin producing garments and embroidery work at a very young age which today is still her passion.