ANEW #1: Rawiri Brown

Photos: Ngahuia Harrison

A couple of weeks back we attended the ANEW Menswear launch above the Eco Store in Freeman's Bay and we were taken aback by the quality of design, construction, finishing and overall concepts on offer from the designers involved. In the first of a series of posts about the ANEW collective, here are a few images of Rawiri Brown's directional range that was shown with a great, simple concept show. Utilitarian boys walked into the packed room, and one-by-one stood upon small plinths, motionless to classical music, Schubert's Ave Maria from memory. All stood, facing north for a further 3 or 4 minutes whilst Ave Maria played out before returning backstage. Such a simple idea for a show but so very effective. Directional the collection certainly is, so what inspired Rawiri down the clerical path? 

"I have been interested over the past years in creating directional menswear which challenges the stereotypical ideal of masculinity. This area of menswear has so much scope and potential for development - examining conventional menswear and ultimately whether certain traditions are still relevant for the future of menswear? For my first capsule collection I looked to clerical vestments and was inspired by the word catechize which means "to give oral teachings of christianity" and the way in which those oral teachings have been subject to change over time, traditions changing for a new tradition." All photos taken on the night by Ngahuia Harrison.