REDEFINING CULTURE THROUGH FASHION - MANAAKI
Photos Apela Bell
Model Felix Timmins - Unique Model Management
From a small idea born during uncertain times to an internationally recognised label, MANAAKI is redefining modern menswear by drawing on the richness of Maori culture and challenging long-held prejudices.
Operating from Warkworth, MANAAKI seamlessly blends contemporary fashion with traditional storytelling, creating pieces that celebrate heritage in a way that feels both authentic and progressive. Founded by Aotearoa-born designer Kat Tua, the brand is deeply personal - rooted in her own experience of growing up Māori.
"Growing up, I wasn’t proud to be Māori," Tua shares. "There was a stigma attached to it, and when I started out in the fashion industry I left my culture at the door. It wasn’t until later in life that I really began to question why we, as New Zealanders, are generally so culturally open yet tend to neglect or misunderstand our own unique Māori heritage and language."
That exploration became the foundation of MANAAKI. While living in Sydney, Tua left behind her corporate fashion career during the pandemic and started working as an Uber driver. At the same time, she began developing a menswear brand that would become a way to reclaim and celebrate her cultural identity.
The defining moment for MANAAKI came when luxury UK e-tailer Mr Porter launched a global fashion design competition searching for emerging menswear designers. Out of more than 1,000 entries across 77 countries, MANAAKI was selected as the winner. "They loved the cultural depth behind my designs, which was incredible to hear because, for so long, Māori fashion wasn’t considered luxury or high-end," Tua explains. Mr Porter provided mentorship and sponsorship to bring the brand to a global audience, launching MANAAKI in 2022.
At its core, MANAAKI exists to remove the prejudices associated with Māori and Indigenous products while celebrating the beauty of Māori design. “I’ve had to recalibrate my own way of thinking as I realised how little I knew about the history of my country,” shares Kat. Historically, colonial narratives, political ideologies, and stereotypes have shaped public perception, often framing Māori culture in a negative light. MANAAKI directly challenges that by incorporating the beautiful elements of Māori culture - art, weaving, storytelling, and deep connections to Papatūānuku (Mother Earth). Every collection is a form of resistance and reclamation, with Tua hand-painting each print and infusing meaning into every piece.
Since its international debut, MANAAKI has continued to grow. The brand’s wholesale partnership with Mr Porter remains strong, and it has begun showing collections in Paris to establish connections with stockists overseas. At the same time, MANAAKI remains deeply connected to Aotearoa, with a newly launched online store offering a direct link to customers. Future aspirations include expanding into womenswear, growing the direct-to-consumer business, and eventually opening a physical store. Long-term, Tua envisions moving production to New Zealand, creating fabrics locally, and working collaboratively with the community and tangata whenua to explore sustainable garment-making practices.
While MANAAKI is making waves internationally, its roots remain firmly in Aotearoa. The natural beauty of Warkworth and the surrounding region serves as a constant source of creativity, influencing the prints, textures, and designs that define each collection. As the brand continues to evolve, it carries with it a deep respect for its cultural roots and a commitment to reshaping the narrative of Māori fashion on the global stage.
