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Josie Steenhouse talks to fashion designer Sandra Tupu about her experience at ID Dunedin Fashion Week in 2010 and 2025.
Q. Have you been a finalist at ID Emerging Designer Awards 2010?
The emerging program of Dunedin 2010 emerging designers was a fantastic experience, and finally winning the sustainability award led everything. Being able to choose our own models until the catwalk show, I felt very empowered and well -being as a new designer from New Zealand, among an incredible international cohort.
Q. What inspired you to return this year?
With more time in my hands now, I’m trying to build my brand and slowly take Fox Flying around. Flying Fox is dedicated to slow -handed fashion, making beautiful clothes that last a long time, whether for the individual, performing arts or collections of small capsules that tell an interesting story often extracted from cultural perspectives. [I’m] Always seeking to step slightly – using recycled elements, incorporating ecological impression, along with the attempt to create less waste in our sector. Provide a service to our local community to repair and change to extend our clothes life.
Q. Tell us a little about what happened on the catwalk?
Mom recently gave me an old book of family antiques about Scottish clans who inspired me to delve into our Scottish side. Agnes Harper, my great -grandmother, came to Aotearoa de Dundee in the late nineteenth century. Family history and my own travel experience in Scotland, especially if you get lost in Cuillins on Skye Island, has been my main inspiration. ” Harper ” (the name of the last collection) is a September [family group] Name within the Buchanan clan.
My reach has been created by translating geographical forms into my physical standards – Skye Island, Buchanan’s land area and Clar Innis island helped create new and interesting forms of fabrics inside and outside the body.
I used Oak (our clan badge) in my ecological impression. I wanted to challenge myself using a new technique for creating low waste patterns, subtraction method – to evoke a feeling of bravery, courage and ‘new terrain’ similar to my great -grandmother’s journey.
Harper’s color palette is removed from the landscape and hearing of the tall lands. The style is of interesting volume and texture that defend the wool of New Zealand. Collaborating with the luxury wool producer Palliser Ridge and New Zealand’s wire producer, the kind Dyer.
Q. How was your experience at the show this time?
Victoria Muir (Id Event Manager) and Barbara Power (Backstage Management) did an incredible job organizing ID 2025, although the behind -the -scenes area was too tight to work.
My models were fantastic, finding them and adjusted them perfectly. Being able to talk about my story and ‘Harper’ ‘background was an important part, as they really brought her to life on the track.
I loved having the main model walking with a brand t -shirt, a pleasant touch. And huge thanks for making the sponsored pop-up space available.
It was wonderful to have emerging designers and young students working part of the main show. There were many opportunities to connect with fellow designers. This was very empowering as a designer.
Q. And how did this compared to 2010?
My experience in 2010 looked a little different, as the emerging competition of designers and the showcase was separated from the main railway show at that time. Ours was held elsewhere, so it was good to be together this time.
One thing I liked about the emerging showcase in 2010 was the choreography of models and collections – you managed to see the collection in a group format after its individual walks on the track. This group view I feel is important to complete the entire image of your reach as a designer.
Q. You had (the radio host) Matty McLean using Flying Fox, both in the capsule showcase and during your time on the track as MC, how did this happen?
Once again, a big forced to Victoria Muir, who suggested Matty Walk for flying fox clothes. I was more than happy to make a clothes for him. It was a beautiful Matty meeting when he fit my studio and I could tell him about Flying Fox and the story behind ” Harper ‘. He took the challenge of modeling seriously and was fabulous rocking “Harper” as he fly Fox on the track. Thank you Matty.
Q. Something favorite about Dunedin?
I didn’t spend much time in Dunedin. I loved the beach. My parents studied and met here in the late 1950s and I would like to see the places my parents lived and visited. I am planning to visit the region after the ID.
Q. How was your time in Dunedin during the week?
I loved being back here in Dunedin. The Eden Hore exhibition next to the opening night of the ID was a highlight. Staying in an old building apartment overlooking the gardens was a delight, having a mother here and visiting where my father lived in Stafford St and where they left in the 1950s was a special time. St Clair Beach: Have a commemorative lunch with family and friends, including some local inhabitants.
Visiting Etrusco at Savoy with friends of Melbourne, who came to the show, I remember coming here in 2010! NZ Opera was in town one night and sang to the entire restaurant!
Q. Has your mother and grandma have been great influences on your life and work – tell us a little about it?
I have a lot of good memories of Mom doing most of our clothes growing in the 1970s. I remember clearly from a purple rain cover when I was young. She made her own clothes and always looked so good, from pants suits to simple dresses. I often ask Mommy her opinion – she is still a great inspiration.
My grandmother has done the same until she could not due to arthritis. She beautifully sheltered clothes for our own babies. She lived for World War II and was a young widow, so she had to raise two girls alone and became very frugal, saving everything – something I still do!
We also spent three months in Samoa in 1973, when I was 9 years old and I remember my aunt Luisa and grandmother Eteri sewing on the old pedal machine in the village – such a simple configuration.
Growing up in a mother and dad of the New Zealand/Pacific family always did and raised alone, instead of paying someone or buying new ones. A self -taught builder, my father spent a lot of time renovating/fixing things, including our home. This attitude of power definitely rubbed us as children and I started making clothes for myself from a teenager in the late 70’s in the early 1980s, loving creation and creation.
Q. How did you enter the industry?
While living in Melbourne in the early 2000s, I decided to train computer programming and started a clothing certification course at a Tafe College in the middle period. Receiving for Auckland in 2004, I tried to continue and enroll full time at the Auto Art and Design Graduation Program in 2007, graduating in 2009.
Q. And why did you start flying with Fox?
I started flying with fox after graduating from Aut. The name evolved from my postgraduate collection ” Tatau ”. This range explored my Samoan heritage and withdrew from the male tatau [traditional tattoo] and rites of passage to a young Samoan man when he becomes guardian of his family, as Pe’a is a forest guardian. Pe’a means flying fox.
P. Tell us about your working space.
My work space is a small studio at home in a converted double garage. Filled with many family relics, fabrics and notions collected, including some old but giveaways.
Q. Do you also give a lecture on Aut?
Over the past two years, I have hired AUT as a half period teacher. I love working with students and transmitting my knowledge and values, especially sustainability.
Q. And did you recently worked on theater attire?
My latest theater work was Witi Witi as a costume designer/manufacturer. Working with Hāpai Productions was very empowering, I love their kaupap [principles]. It is wonderful to rely on bringing your vision life using my design process.
Q. What else do you do?
I am currently involved with Fashion NZ Mindful as director, representing our members. I am very in love with our industry becoming more responsible, sustainable and collectively growing our voice and encouraging our New Zealand fashion industry to prosper.
I am a mother of four and grandmother for five. The family, Aiga, is big on my schedule! I like to swim cold, walk nature and play pumpkin.
Q. Where are you going in the post-post?
Today we are going to Catlins for three days for a very necessary break … Based on the Kākā Point. We look forward to exploring the area, including Nugget Point, McLean Falls, Hoiho (Penguins), caves and slope point.
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