Liberty.

About a year ago, before I moved to Auckland, I camped out in Napier with my parents and I worked part- time for a lovely lady called Christabel. Christabel imports Liberty fabrics for England and sells them in NZ and on the web. During that time I patternmade a range of skirts and childrenswear, as well as making ready-to-wear for her clients.

However I grew to really love the fabrics, and have begun buying them and hoarding them (I am a fabric hoarder. I'm waiting for my fabric chest- a Chinese red chest- to be moved up to Auckland).

From left: Liberty Kingly Cord in Butterfield B, Liberty Tana Lawn in Jenny's Ribbons B, My Little Pacer and Mim.

These are some fabrics that I have been showing off to my friends ( I still haven't stitched them up. If I get near Photoshop I will post some ideas). It is fantastic to see such a traditional brand using the skills of young and modern textile designers. I have been using Liberty more in my fashion design for competitions. I had decided that it was abit sad that the fabrics were not gaining much exposure for a younger generation- I didn't want them to get lost! So more unsually, I designed a range for the New Zealand Fashion Quarterly Young Designer Award (the first dress in the pic was made) based around the Liberty Christelle print- I love the stripey flowers and the mustard yellow/pink/teal colour combo. I didn't get any placement in the competition, which was sad, but however it is alot harder to compete in fashion design competitions when you are working- you no longer get the same level of support and facilities, and most importantly, time.

That was only one range in Liberty. I have designed another, which I am going to make for the Hokonui Fashion Design Awards, which is held mysteriously in Gore, South Island (not a major fashion centre). But the competition has an increasingly good reputation and a handful of my talented friends has won prizes over the past few years.

I have designed another small range 'the triplets', which is kind of like an idea of a tryptich painting- the idea flows onto garment or canvas to the other. Knowing that I would be time strapped I aimed to get more bang for my buck (bad term...). The range is based upon the Hera pattern (peacock feathers designed by william Morris) from Liberty and the superstitions that surround them, which I found very interesting (my Nana is very superstitious about peacock feathers). So basically I created an abstracted peacock feather that flowed from one dress to the other, so that you get a big picture when the wearers all stand together.

Now thats my big project. Now all I have to do is make it and develop it further.