Women in design | Stephanie Moffitt

No, I wanted to study fashion at the Wellington Design School which is now Massey University. The course enrolments had closed for the year but a diploma in textile design was still open, so I travelled from Hamilton to Wellington for the open day – it was a very exciting trip as it was the first time I'd flown in an aeroplane. The course taught textile design for both fashion and interiors, but throughout my studies I imagined my career being in fashion.

My first real job was as a part-time sales assistant in the Mokum showroom in Parnell, Auckland. One evening we hosted a launch event for a new Designers Guild collection, a fabric drop hadn’t arrived from London so I hand painted a replica which we displayed at the event in place of the missing print. This must have caught the attention of the then owners, who wanted to create an in-house print studio but didn’t have a textile designer within their buying team, so they approached me to become the studio assistant to one of the directors.

I love how cultural textiles are. We talk a lot in the studio about how different regions have different design sensibilities, colour palettes, and technical capabilities. We have access to the very best print and weaving mills in the world and we love that the design process is collaborative. However, we really do try to imprint an Australasian perspective into our design process and into the brand while reflecting the textile industry's cultural history.

Mokum’s fabrics are distinctive and statement making; I love how they can transform an interior and encourage creative expression through distinctive colours and patterns. Because we take a thematic approach to design, each collection grows out of a new inspiration – be that art, culture, travel, or fashion design – so conceptualising and refining the theme at the beginning of each collection is still a very exciting part of the process!

The development time for a new collection takes a minimum of 12 months. It starts by creating surface patterns within our studios which are then woven by predominantly European and Asian mills who have the capability to customise every stage of the process. From construction, to colour, to expert finishing techniques which add surface interest and performance attributes to the final product, we collaborate to produce enduring textiles which are not only luxurious but also practical and accessible.

Even after thirty years at Mokum I am always excited to push us in new directions and to introduce new customers to our products. Mokum has been available in the USA for over 12 years and New York is still my favourite destination to visit; being such a competitive and expansive market I always return home feeling more motivated.

Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin are a great inspiration to me. They’ve built worldclass careers and with the most incredible attention to detail they create work that is meaningful while also being entertaining. It's been a huge privilege to gain an insight into their world and to work with Catherine on our shared collections.

I am continually inspired by risk-taking fashion designers who approach patterns and colours seasonally, in contrast to the longevity required of our textiles. Muccia Prada is an inspirational fashion designer who has developed a luxury brand that remains grounded in the world we live in. Her approach to thematic women's fashion collections is intellectual, political, and artistic, and the work she puts into Fondazione Prada and supporting communities of makers and artists through sharing her platform is incredible.

As a proud feminist and optimist, if my life were a colour it would have to be pink. Pink is a colour that makes people feel good in a room, it can be a soft and calming blush or a powerful fuchsia. Pink is agile, contemporary, and feminine – it has lots of personality!