By SIMON COLLINS
Maori tradition merged with high fashion at the launch yesterday of a new centre for one of New Zealand's "creative industries"..
Prime Minister Helen Clark sewed the final button on to a pukeko feather shoulder-piece by Maori designer Kim Fraser to open the new premises of the Auckland
Fashion Incubator at the Auckland University of Technology's Technology Park in Penrose.
The incubator, which began life from a High St warehouse in August 2000, has received $70,000 from Industry New Zealand to nurture new fashion designers.
It is seen as a key element in the Government's innovation strategy, announced last month, which aims to promote investment and talent in the creative industries, biotechnology and information and communications technology.
The pukeko shoulder-piece, which will be auctioned at New Zealand Fashion Week in October to support new fashion designers, was the first design with the incubator's new label, "Arahi", Maori for "to lead, to guide".
"The fashion incubator is leading and guiding new designers into commercial business," said Kim Fraser, a former Smokefree Fashion Awards supreme award winner, who is the incubator's founder and co-director.
The other co-director, Jennifer Jenkins, said the incubator helped four young designers to start their own businesses last year, and now had 13 students on a 14-week course for fledgling entrepreneurs.
"We are panning for gold here," she said.
"We have to discover and develop the next few stars that are out there. Those guys need a lot of grit. That's more than just creative design."
The incubator is one of 25 start-up businesses in the AUT Technology Park.
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