The journey into fashion for Natasha Ovely was more unexpected than others, but it proved successful in the long run.
After teaching herself to sew, and completing a fine arts degree, Ovely decided to bravely reach out to unknown contacts in the fashion industry to see if they could see any potential garment designing career in her future.
“Janey Evett was working at NZFW at the same and encouraged me to take part in the event that same year. I took a leap of faith and moved back to New Zealand to start the label and gave myself six months to see if it was worth pursuing. The rest is history,” said Ovely.
Growing up in India and the Middle East, she was affected from an early age by the political implications of what people choose to wear. Ovely’s label, Starving Artists Fund, was a result of her time in Berlin. She told herself that if she did pursue a creative enterprise one day, she would use that name.
Although Ovely is proud of her achievements, she said that the message behind her label is one that resonates globally.
“Sadly, the things that make my label unique are the very things that should be common practice. Intersectional inclusion means being open to everyone, regardless of size, race, sexuality, gender, or ability. I also try to include more affordable pieces in the collections, which is sometimes difficult to achieve while keeping production 100% made in New Zealand,” she said.
A majority of her designs are zero-waste, and her label only produces small runs and one-off pieces to eliminate deadstock.
“We reuse leftover fabrics and offcuts from previous seasons and frequently upcycle clothing. Free size/ one size fits all garments have also become a stalwart aspect of the brand.”
Ovely said that her inspiration when designing can stem from a multitude of places, occasionally it could be a conversation with a friend, or even an emotion.
“I'm currently making from a place of anger and frustration, trying to turn it into something beautiful and hopeful. My work is often reactive and in response to the sociopolitical climate,” she added.
Recently, she has found herself to be drawn to the late 1940s to the early 1950s, looking at pieces worn throughout the second world war and the Great Depression era.
‘I find it strangely hopeful to look back at times of great global difficulty and know that generation lived to see better days.”
Ovely acknowledges that her current collection is a work in progress, and is reflective of silhouettes and the development of her technical language.
“Recessions have historically had creative implications like resourcefulness, which I tackle through zero-waste design. I feel that when the world craves safety and assurance in their every day, they look to art for risk and sentiment. That is the view that I am currently working from,” she added.
She encourages anyone to pursue a career in fashion if they have the passion for it, but added that resilience is an important quality to have.
“There's no shortage of people with incredible talent and great ideas- what sets people apart is the ability to pick themselves back up and try again. Reach out to as many people as possible for guidance and try to build up your skills for business acumen.”
Ovely is proud that she has surpassed five years working on her label, and is grateful that the Starving Artists Fun community has rallied around her to share and enjoy her success.
“It's still surreal to me that people covet things that I make. I'm so proud that it resonates with people from different walks of life who are all aspirational to me in their own way. A key goal when I started the label was maintaining an intersectional approach to inclusion based on shared values and originality. Looking at my customer base today, I consider that goal achieved,” noted Ovely.
Looking into the future, Ovely has plans to introduce her label to markets overseas and create more multi-disciplinary experiences.
