The knitting work of a designer from Mahia is getting attention from world-leading brands and stars.
Hawke’s Bay designer Natalie Robb has been busy in her Mahia home-based studio, spinning the cool back into New Zealand wool.
Handcrafting lavish garments, everything from colourful scarfs, check cardigans or what’s become her most popular statement piece – a balaclava.
Natalie Robb caught the knitting bug from her mum and brother – and now her work has been picked up by big names overseas. (Source: 1News)
Robb said she caught the knitting bug from her mum and brother as she watched them make pieces for loved ones.
Five years later she now has her own fully fledged fashion line, Amélie Knits.
Some of her work has been picked up by big names like Adidas, Vogue, Warner Bros. Studios and even A-list celebrities like Hailey Bieber.
“It’s incredible to be asked to work with these big brands and be recognised, especially when I feel like I’m living the remote coastal dream in New Zealand,” she said. “It just seems like such a contrast.”
“I’m able to understand an old craft but also revolutionise it or make it relevant for today, I can see it happening all across the world, there are amazing fibre artists, playing with spinning, dyeing and weaving and making it really current to today, I love being a part of that movement, it’s exciting.”
She hopes her designs can help challenge fast fashion thinking, encouraging people to re-use and own more durable clothing.
“I would definitely not be doing this if I felt like I was contributing to the bigger, fast fashion problem, it underpins Amélie that it stays really slow and handmade.”
“All my products are handmade by myself or maybe like one other [person]. People connect to my brand because of the story that I can show, from the sheep all the way through to the end product. People love understanding the whole supply chain is transparent.”
She also draws inspiration from her local community knitting group, who meet once a fortnight to share tips, tricks and newly completed pieces.
Knitting group member Sue Goodley said Robb has brought new creativity to the group.
“She’s teaching us all to try be a bit freer with our thinking. We’re all used to having our pattern and following instructions.”
Another group member, Sally Marshall, said Robb has “brought an energy” along with “her knowledge, and her confidence”.
