The recent trip to the Costume and Textile Association of Aotearoa New Zealand symposium in Whangārei included a surprising discovery.
The North of the North Island/ Te Ika-a-Māui is home to Tāne Mahuta, the giant kauri tree. To get to it from the East Coast one travels across the island on a meandering road that takes in farmland and plenty of history, including the beautiful church of St Michael near Ōhaeawai. It is a beautiful drive with plenty to see and explore and with lots of scenic views.
Along the way is the settlement of Kaikohe. This small town is rich in both Māori and European history and is the main township in the North. It is also home to CuzyT, a shop of Māori designer streetwear.
The shop itself is not large but it is packed full of treasures: letterman’s jackets, hats, scarves and leather and jean jackets. Each of the pieces has had the CuzyT treatment and it is very exciting to see fashion like this in such an unexpected place.
The main message of the fashion label is pride. With letterman’s jackets emblazoned with iwi (tribes) names and jean jackets carrying images of important historical papers such as the 1835 Declaration of Independence, this is streetwear with a social conscience and political message, and it manages to make that look fresh, relevant and fantastic!
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