New Season Autumn Winter 2023 Collection.

I have loved Frida Kahlo from my art school days in 1978.

Having started my tertiary education at art school in Dunedin, painting has always been a huge love of mine and will be a wonderful hobby for me as my years advance. Naturally colour, flowers and abstract subjects were my preferences. So, when introduced to Frida’s work and life I felt a wonderful synergy. While not actively artistic day-to-day in the painting way,  I am creative daily, concepting the gorgeous clothes that I am surrounded with. My pallet of colour becomes the many fabrics that we design and style into the dresses and blouses, that we are so well loved for.

I also, in my later years, became highly aligned to the social activism that Frida pioneered as a woman, leading the way for causes she was passionate about, being now reflected in the way that I have, through RAW, flown the flag for transformational out of gate care and humanising decarceration strategy's for wāhine caught up in the justice system.  

To now be able to devote a 'tribute' collection that has been inspired by the works and life of Frida Kahlo, and know that so many of our customers and my team love her equally as much as I do, is a wonderful 360 revolution of my loves and life. And ironically the collection will also be supported by the Frida Kahlo exhibition, ending in Auckland until 22nd January 2023, demonstrating the wonderful way that everything has of coming to together to create perfect harmonies in a timeframe. And as an added bonus I get to introduce Frida to Lily (her most loved book), my granddaughter, and ensure Frida’s legend of colour and flowers live on in the hearts of next generation.

"I paint flowers so they will not die" - Frida Kahlo 

Quotes from Frida Kahlo that inspired me;

• The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
• The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
• Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.
• If life were predictable, it would cease to be life, and be without flavour.

https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/whats-on/exhibition/frida-kahlo-and-diego-rivera-art-and-life-in-modern-mexico/

Written by Annah Stretton