Women in design | Annie Moir

I think its fair to say my textiles training started at birth. Being a fifth generation family member offered me amazing opportunities to see ‘behind the curtain’ from a young age – attending trade shows as ‘chief note taker,’ visiting mills, cutting up colour blankets, looking at yarn cards and pantone references. As International Brands Director, my mother introduced me to the makers and creative directors of some of the best European editor brands. This probably inspired me more than I realised at the time, but it's something I reflect on with very fond memories now.

During the school holidays I worked in various departments of the business, learning the ropes of our dynamic industry and company. At various times growing up I worked in the Christchurch showroom, the Auckland warehouse and sample department, answered the phone in customer service, and even had a stint in our Brisbane showroom. Although there was never any direct pressure or expectation from my parents, and my brother and I were always encouraged to pursue our passions, it turns out textiles have always been a passion.

Unexpectedly! At school I studied arts subjects, dropping the sciences as soon as I could and intending to pursue photo journalism, but in my first year of university I lost one of my closest girlfriends to cancer and it changed the course of my life – sparking my decision to divert my studies to a science degree majoring in psychology. I’ve always been a ‘people person’ who is fascinated by human connection and what drives human behaviour, so this was a subject I wanted to dive into. I had a lot to catch up on after dropping my science papers in high school, but I studied hard and ended up graduating top of my year. I loved this degree and learnt a lot, but I was feeling deprived creatively.

Following graduation I was asked to move to Auckland to help Lynette Rayward, then Brand Manager of James Dunlop, with product development. Unfortunately, Lynette fell sick with cancer within a few weeks so I was thrown very much in the deep end of textile design. After 3 years working in the Auckland product team, Stephanie Moffitt invited me to support her in Mokum's Sydney design studio where for eight years I worked as Mokum's product developer; concentrating on colour development while learning about weave development, textile testing, and how to take product to market.

The rich cultural history of the textiles industry is incredibly exciting. It’s a people-centric industry and the opportunities we have to travel and connect with our suppliers and craft beautiful, innovative textiles are a result of the partnerships we have nurtured over decades of interaction. It's something I never take for granted and I feel pinch me moments every time I travel for work – even after 10 years.

Working in the Mokum design studio solidified my love for product development and I knew that I had found my place in the textiles industry. It ticks all my boxes as the perfect balance of creativity and science, and I was fortunate to learn from Stephanie as my mentor, as well as the many incredible female creatives she introduced me to. 

I’m hugely motivated to bring my experience of working in the high-end into the mid-market and the James Dunlop brand. I get very excited about polyester these days – it sounds like I’m joking but I’m not! I’m really motivated to create textiles which look and feel luxurious but remain highly practical and affordable to the mid-market. It brings me a lot of satisfaction to know we’re ensuring beautiful product isn’t just confined to the high-end, because being on a budget shouldn’t require sacrificing style.

I have always been hugely inspired by the presence of passionate people, if someone truly cares about something I will be transfixed by what they’re saying. I feel very lucky to have cultivated a team of talented women in our design studio who inspire me everyday through their work and their commitment to driving the James Dunlop brand into the future.

My favourite colour palette is green. The spectrum of green is so versatile; it can be serene and calming or it can be emboldening but it always a safe choice as it's perennial – it's nature's neutral! Growing up in the South Island of New Zealand I was surrounded by greenery, so it's nurturing for me to be amongst the trees or bush and it's no wonder I’ve ended up buying a home on the edge of a National Park with treetop views.