This story is part of Ensemble's fashion week coverage, supported by Viaduct Harbour

Mairātea Mohi, Paris Blanchfield and Abby Irwin-Jones from Auckland University’s Craccum magazine crossed the runway (and went backstage) to speak with three up-and-coming talents from the recent Graduate Show at NZ Fashion Week: Kahuria.

Catching them at the beginning of their career for a unique student-to-student conversation, Craccum’s trio speaks to a local design school trinity, sharing collections, thoughts on the industry and kicking off their careers on Aotearoa’s largest fashion stage.‍

Massey University: Levius Ngahuia Hitchens-Chapman (Te Arawa, Ngāti Rangitihi, Tūhoe)‍

Levius Ngahuia Hitchens-Chapman is crafting a legacy of colour in a flurry of bright patterns and striking hues. A recent graduate of Massey University, she’s creating visual works of art nothing short of a sugar high.

With a background rooted in Te Arawa, Ngāti Rangitihi and Tūhoe heritage, Levius Ngahuia's designs are a cheerful amalgamation of tradition and modernity. Her schooling in the capital has brought forth a pointedly Wellingtonian riot of colours, playful patterns, and vivacious frills that seem to dance as you walk. 

Having completed her Bachelor of Design last year, Levius Ngahuia has been on a journey to discover her niche in the fashion world. She's not following trends but setting her own. Looking forward, she’s embracing the future of fashion production through the use of CLO3D software, a form of technology that avoids the economic and waste issues associated with traditional fashion production processes.

Reflecting on her journey to showing at NZFW, she says it wasn't without its challenges. “When I got the call, I was having one of the worst weeks of my life. So when I picked up the phone I was like ‘Holy shit! There is a silver lining!’ and it’s been building ever since.”

The road to NZFW came with a few stumbles. Having high expectations of a flawless ascent, fate had other plans as she found herself in a gutter with a sprained ankle. The weeks leading to NZFW had been meticulously planned: fitting sessions, dress rehearsals, and the grand show all unfolding like clockwork. But the sprain forced her to reevaluate. Acknowledging her “control freak” tendencies, it was a practice in learning to let go and embracing the unpredictable nature of life, and fashion.

While many young designers might be tempted by the allure of overseas markets and profitability, Levius Ngahuia has her sights set firmly on the local scene. Keen to develop into Māori boutique spaces, her outlook on the fashion industry is small batch, special made-to-order pieces. "[Travelling] It's something that I have thought about. But I feel like there are so many local boutiques and brands that don't get the recognition they deserve on a daily basis."

Whitecliffe College: Milan Jeon

Milan Jeon exudes the kind of effortless cool girl energy usually reserved for the confines of a Pinterest board. Undeniably talented and highly-commended by her fashion co-conspirators, the designer brings an original aesthetic to the local fashion scene.  

As someone who describes their experience in the industry as a “funny journey”, Milan’s pathway to NZFW took an interesting route. After spending her first year of undergrad at Massey pursuing a different degree, trying out fashion design courses flipped a switch. “When I got back into sewing and pattern-making I was like, this is what makes me feel alive.”

From there, she made the move to Auckland to begin studying at Whitecliffe. Her choice of institution was largely inspired by her ideologies surrounding sustainable fashion. “I watched a documentary called The True Cost, which shows all the ugliness behind the fast fashion world. So as soon as I looked up Whitecliffe and saw their big ‘sustainability’ heading I was like, yeah, that’s me.” 

The designer credits her experience in tertiary fashion for providing her with a pathway into the industry, praising the hands-on, personable approach of the Whitecliffe faculty. And as one of the six student’s nominated for Whitecliffe’s showcase at NZFW, the high regard clearly goes both ways. 

“They emailed us individually asking if we’d like to do it, and it all went from there. It was definitely very challenging in that we were just given the date. Having a grad show [at Whitecliffe] last year was really helpful as I was able to rehearse everything involved in making a runway happen: getting the models, contacting agencies, makeup and hair moodboards, making sure those PDFs are sent to the coordinators in time, writing up call sheets, etc.”

While in her first year, Milan admits to feeling “a bit lost in terms of who [she was] aesthetically or what [she] actually wanted to do as a fashion designer”. Her remedy was to look outside her discipline and utilise a love of art history.

“In my second year, I came across this painting movement called De Stijl. I learned about the philosophies and thought processes and what the geometric lines and shapes meant to these artists and what they were trying to communicate to culture. I fell in love with the story behind the paintings.”

Milan is working to continue this combination of design and contemporary art in her postgraduate studies focusing on the Dansaekhwa/Korean monochrome movement. Looking ahead to her future career, she acknowledges “it’s definitely tricky in terms of going into the real world”, but that the local industry works to uplift new designers. 

“Our scene is a tight knit circle compared to other cities. Everyone knows everyone so whenever there’s a fashion event, everyone has that instant bond with each other. Those relationships feel more genuine than what you’d get elsewhere. There’s more collaborations and further work being developed that way.”

‍Otago Polytechnic (Te Pūkenga): Ethan Cruise‍

Heading down South and away from the bright hues and sharp lines, the slouchy streetwear of Otago grad Ethan Cruise looks built to both withstand and stand out in Dunedin winters. 

With a focus on wearability – “creating timeless streetwear staples made with personality, functionality and quality is at the forefront” – the collection from his brand Imperfect Creatures could go straight from the runway into the wardrobe of anyone with a mind for street style.

Ethan embodies this practical philosophy. “I’ve been wearing my collection almost daily since graduating. It’s how I know my clothing is durable and will hold for the runway.” This came in handy during the backstage chaos of showcasing 18 designers on one runway, many of which were sharing models between them. “The model change backstage was very quick, I only had around three minutes to get them undressed and into my garments. Luckily it went smoothly and everything made it to the runway as intended, which was a massive weight off my shoulders.”

While hectic, Ethan is no stranger to this pace: in the 10 months since he’s graduated from Otago Polytechnic he’s kept busy with his own brand, collaborating with other young designers, and preparing his collection for the runway. But he names NZFW as a highlight. “Being selected as a part of this group was a true blessing. Showcasing my work among so much talent from all around Aotearoa was such an incredible opportunity. All in all, I had a very special experience and I will hold it dearly as I venture further into my career as a designer.”

That career already has some serious momentum; not even a week after his graduate collection graced NZFW, his latest collection titled Motion dropped on the Imperfect Creatures website. Ethan promises there’s more to come.

“In my eyes, this is the beginning of something much bigger. The starting of a ‘motion’ that cannot be stopped. I plan to release two more collections before this year comes to an end.”

Despite being in its infancy, Ethan’s design aesthetic feels fully-formed, and the brand already has a presence that seems poised to skyrocket. He puts this strong identity down to a clear focus and hard work. 

“Since graduating at the end of last year, I’ve been spending every moment I have crafting and building a solid platform for Imperfect Creatures. What people see versus what actually goes into building a business are very different things.

“As a young designer it can be very confronting trying to find an in. I hope to one day see a more inclusive industry that offers more opportunity to designers that don’t have generational wealth or institutional opportunities. I want to see an industry that celebrates up-and-coming designers without any barriers to them.”

Ethan is working to create this future himself, building community platforms to uplift other designers alongside his brand. Next year Imperfect Creatures is co-hosting the show As We Watch The World Go By, bringing together 20 designers from around the country for “an opportunity to share our thoughts and views on the industry.”

He says there is “a movement happening between the youth of design in New Zealand”, acknowledging his peers such as New Life Studios and the collective behind Rogue. “We realise the barriers that exist, and are finding new ways to make things possible ourselves.”