On Sunday, Sarah Hunter met NZ ‘wearable-art’ fashion designer Louise Stichbury and did a shoot in her label at the windy Wellington seaside for some mid-winter looks…
Wrapped up in a knitted blue cardi and a pair of sensibly warm Ugg boots, Louise Stichbury was the epitome of enthusiasm, eager to throw me onto the seaside for some mid-winter looks.
‘Stichbury’ opened just over a year ago in Wellington’s Island bay. “You can’t make a living as a designer unless you have a shop. I started selling some garments in the rumpus room at my flat and thought, if people come here surely they will come to my shop,” says Louise.
A self-confessed tomboy, Louise opts to wear jeans and go mountain biking in her spare time. “My girly side comes out in my clothing. I don’t really follow fashion trends, my work is more like wearable art.”
Although Louise says she doesn’t follow the latest trends, her garments are current yet unique with lots of floral patterns, ruffles and layers. Louise likes to experiment with texture and fabric and makes all her garments herself in her combined store/workshop. In fact, you can witness Louise create her magic just by standing on the street.
"People stop by the window and watch me. I guess they like to witness the designer getting in there and producing the garments so they can appreciate the honesty.”
Not only is it a novelty to watch Louise making her fabulous garments, but her little dog Coco, a mini foxy X pinscher, has now become a local celebrity. “I take her to work everyday. People see me in central Wellington with Coco and they say, "Hey, that’s the dog from the Island Bay store." She’s more famous than me,” laughs Louise.
Visiting Stichbury is a real treat; her store is filled with individual one-off garments that you are assured no-one else with have, plus a mixture of her staple garments like the winter staple, a comfortable yet stylish hoody which she now has designed for men, too. But that’s not all you will find. Louise has a gorgeous collection of jewellery, maternity wear and children’s wear.
The store in Island Bay.
Men’s hoody by Louise Stitchbury.
What’s next for Louise? She’s just done the SPCA’s Little Black Dress fashion show in Auckland and has other fashion shows up the pipeline. But for now, Louise is just concentrating on her sewing and business. “I’m a one man band, so it’s me doing everything. It’s very full on at the moment, I need to stick to small steps.”
Louise designs her garments for the everyday woman with folds and detail in all the right places to hide any unwanted lumps or bumps. Her fabrics are funky and versatile with soft warm New Zealand merinos for those windier days. Just what I needed as I played model for the day.
Below: Sarah Hunter in Stichbury.
By Sarah Hunter, 7 July 2010.
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