We got to talk with the design duo of Emile Pullar and Abby Van Schreven who are Maaike. Makers of eminently wearable clothing – that is democratic in its fit. Known for their graphic prints – they certainly didn’t disappoint with their show as part of AOK 2016 at NZFW this year.

What season are you showing?

We are showing some of Summer 16 | 17 LUNA and a preview of Winter 17 KAME-ZA

What would you say are your influences for this collection?

For Winter 17 we were super inspired by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and built the collection around chaotic polka dots. We spent time researching a lot of Japanese street style and it’s ended up exactly how we imagined. It’s a much tougher look for Maaike, we were ready for a change in feel but stripped down each piece still retains our signature style and wearability.

What is/are your favourite piece/pieces from this collection?

We love our knitted pieces especially the oversized black cardy with grey hem and the cape with pom pom shoulders. We spent a lot of time researching and buying vintage kimonos and are obsessed with our long and short kimono styles given a touch of modernity with our chaotic spot patterns.

Who inspires you in NZ?

Our customers inspire us we often think of certain people when we design and what they will like and how they will wear the pieces.

How much does working in a partnership inform your design process?

We design a lot together and a lot separately – our process is quite organic we don’t sit down and design the collection in one go we let it take us on a journey as we go. We are so similar in what we like we are lucky in that respect.

The inclusion of more graphic work with Scissorface has now become a hallmark of each new collection… 

If Jess from Scizzorface decided to stop working with us we might have to shut up shop! The custom fabric prints are the very first thing we work on and it kickstarts the entire collection. The Space print for Summer was inspired by a collage artist we found so we compiled images of moons, stars and other spacey imagery and Jess put it all together into a print mixed with graphic elements to keep it looking like a Maaike print. Zig Zags are our signature and we went with a distorted and faded version for summer. For KAME-ZA we gave Jess a brief of a chaotic polka dot print with 3D spheres – she nailed it and it’s exactly how we imagined. We are so lucky to have such a talented lady to work with!

Editor’s notes

LOVED both all the Scissorface prints (but then I always do) but especially the oversized Kimono with the print layered up.

Love the net sweatshirt which is the perfect answer to how to layer up in the summer.

Also note that Maaike make a mean trouser – comfortable, flattering and generally all-round-awesome to wear (I can speak from experience!).

The first half of the show is SS2016 and is available in-store at MAAIKE on Ponsonby Road of from one of their stockists.

Photographs by Michelle Weir of Studio Weir

Winter 2017