Give & Take is the first collection by Pippa & Kate, a thoughtful brand that encourages a greater connection during the creative process. “I learnt from my time at Massey that the best design comes from the desire to solve a problem - whether it be social, environmental or technical,” said co-director Pippa Auld. “I thrive off the knowledge that change is possible with positive dedicated designers,” added Kate Chalmers.
The problem Pippa & Kate perceived was a passive shopping experience. When purchasing a Give & Take garment the shopper can chose from eight garment types, four shapes and seven colours. The choice of shape changes the structure and aesthetic of each garment as it is added to the a seam. With bright block colours for emphasis, this allows consumers to see what can be possible through the pattern making processes.
As designers, Auld and Chalmers wanted to pass on part of the fashion experience to consumers to create a greater sense of value and in return embedded more ethical and sustainable buying habits. “We think it’s about time the wearer took back some of the power and had a bit of fun doing it.” The collection contains locally produced New Zealand wool knitted on a dubied knitting machine. The four different fabrics were developed with felting techniques for different knit structures.
The aesthetic of Give & Take is necessarily driven by the conceptual aspects of the project, yet artistically the designers were interested in the structural approach of Japanese designers.
For more information, please email pippaauld@gmail.com or littleprojects.k@gmail.com.
