A wahine is taking on the fashion world with mātauranga Māori style through her kaupapa-driven business that creates fashionable kakahu.
Korowai by Hiria was founded in 2019 by Hiria Aorangi of Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Kuri, who has found recent success after partnerships with British Vogue and Crossover London.
These deals will allow Aorangi to share her kakahu designs with the fashion world via Crossover London's website.
Aorangi says that she is a proud wahine Māori and the influence from her tribes means that she likes to look good and has a business mind to match.
“I’m just embodying all the things that make me, me.”
With interest from an executive from British Vogue who contacted her about 18 months ago, Aorangi says she was invited to feature in the magazine in August, September and October of last year.
“This waterfall effect happened there and we did six campaigns with House & Garden.”
The success doesn’t stop there, and she has now been given the opportunity to dress someone for the 2023 Grammies.
“Having authentic Māori designs on a global international red carpet, I would rather it came from any Māori designer.”
“What we do as Māori, you cannot recreate what we see and, because it's entrenched in whakapapa and tikanga, we are the only ones who can do that.”