Aqua Designs: Bermuda-born fashion label makes a splash in designer’s Kiwi home town

Nicola Lucas (inset) is bringing her Bermuda-born fashion Aqua Designs brand back to her hometown of Hawke's Bay.

Hawke’s Bay-born Nicola Lucas has fond memories of creating clothes for Barbie dolls in her childhood Napier home. Fast forward to today and the Bermuda-based fashionista is bringing her impressive designs for real people back to where it all began.

Lucas’ latest line, Aqua Designs, is now available at Hunt & Seek in Havelock North.

Every garment is designed and tested in her Southampton, Bermuda workroom, with Lucas saying the Aqua Designs collections draw inspiration from her love of island life, blending Bermuda’s tropical elegance with the minimalist, contemporary style of her New Zealand roots.

“It’s an incredible feeling to bring my designs back to Hawke’s Bay where my passion for fashion design began,” she said.

“I’m excited to reconnect with the place that ignited my journey in fashion.”

Lucas has had a long and varied career in the fashion industry since her humble beginnings in Hawke’s Bay.

The Sacred Heart College alumni initially pursued her passion for fashion design at Taranaki Polytechnic.

After working in New Zealand for several years, she embarked on her OE and eventually settled in Bermuda, where she met her Bermudian husband, Ben.

Lucas said after the birth of her second child, she shifted her focus to children’s clothing and the brand evolved to meet the demand for high-quality, stylish clothing and accessories.

Nicola Lucas says her collection is designed to empower women.

Her impressive resume includes roles in pattern making and computer-aided design at renowned fashion houses such as Nicole Farhi and French Connection in London, and Classic Fashion in Auckland, New Zealand.

She was the recipient of several Rothmans Hawke’s Bay Artwear Awards in the late 90s and was a finalist in the prestigious Benson & Hedges Fashion Awards during her student years in New Plymouth.

In 2018, Lucas debuted her womenswear line at the Bermuda Fashion Festival, receiving acclaim for her innovative designs. She said her collection was designed to empower women, helping them feel comfortable and confident in the clothes they wore.

The garments can easily transition from casual daywear to chic evening outfits.

“We are thrilled to have Nicola’s brand, Aqua Designs, exclusively in our store here in Havelock North,” Hunt & Seek store owner Tamella Hunt said.

“Her collections are unique and beautifully crafted, and we know they’ll resonate with our customers.”

Lucas said she looked forward to one day spending more time in Hawke’s Bay and deepen the transcontinental relationship even further.

“Right now, I return for short visits twice a year to see my elderly parents, but this connection between Bermuda and New Zealand is something I hope to build on in the future.”