The Bristol-based tā moko artist – in collaboration with leading London-based New Zealand fashion designer Emilia Wickstead – tells Dan Ahwa about why this new era of Air New Zealand’s iconic uniforms is a timely reminder of the power of Indigenous storytelling and our identity as New Zealanders on
It’s been over a year since our national airline carrier revealed it would task award-winning New Zealand fashion designer Emilia Wickstead with revamping one of the nation’s most recognisable uniforms.
Today, a new development confirms internationally acclaimed tā moko artist Te Rangitu Netana (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai and Te Arawa) has created a distinctive pattern to support Wickstead’s designs, which will soon be worn by more than 5000 Air New Zealand cabin crew, front-of-house ground staff and pilots.
“Although we can’t share too much yet, there are many references within the print design to our Taiao [environment], including our maunga [mountains], awa [rivers], ngai kīrehe [fauna and ecology], and the narratives of our foundations” he explains. Nō reira, mihi nui te aroha ki ngā hapū, ngā iwi, ngā tāngata kātoa nō Aotearoa, hei manaaki ki roto i tātou kōtahitanga.”
Since relocating with his family from the Far North near Waipapa to the UK in 2015, Te Rangitu has continued to evolve his over three-decade Tā moko practice into a signature handwriting of designs rooted in deep spiritual and cultural significance.
Today, he continues to advance his artistic discipline through his tattoo studio and his work promoting and advocating Māori culture globally. This latest collaboration with Wickstead is another step towards amplifying not only Netana’s work, but the sacred art of tā moko and te ao Māori on an international scale.
“When we started working together in 2019, we sat down, shared ideas and focused on complementing one another,” he says of the collaborative process.
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Advertise with NZME.“Emilia has this incredible in-depth knowledge of being a fashion designer, and my contribution with this pattern was to offer some historical context into the design of tā moko through my perspective as Māori.
“We looked at the significant way we wore kākahu [clothing] and adornment, and why we chose to wear these pieces. Of course, a big part of our narrative is our ecology and our connection to our environment. I also wanted to create a visual language that could speak louder than words.
“When we started collaborating, we looked deeper into the meaning of how we dressed – even right down to the tiki through the generations and the narrative and richness that comes from that. That’s where we started – looking at how we wore clothing, what it meant to us, and how we could empower our fellow New Zealanders with a sense of pride.”
Netana – whose clients include Robbie Williams – is also no stranger to fashion, having already collaborated with a range of brands including local streetwear stalwart Workshop during its heyday in the early 90s, to more recently with the French luxury house Hermès on a limited-edition scarf print launched in 2019.
“At the time I’d just finished that project with Hermès. A few months later, Emilia got in touch and asked if I’d be interested in doing this collaboration with her. I was like ‘Let’s do it.’ It was really exciting to be involved with it all.”
After going through over 20 initial hand-drawn drafts, the resulting print is described by Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran as embodying the airline’s commitment to reflecting the beauty and mana of Aotearoa.
“The design of this uniform is not only a celebration of our people and culture, but a symbol of empowerment for everyone who wears it,” he says in an official statement. “We can’t wait to reveal the new uniform to the world in just a few short weeks.”
Netana and Wickstead’s creative partnership is also further deepened as Kiwis with mixed heritage living abroad.
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Netana has recently acknowledged his Scottish heritage by designing Polynesian and Māori patterns for a kilt collaboration. Wickstead’s mother is the celebrated fashion and linen designer Angela Wickstead, who is half-Italian. Her father is half-Samoan. By combining their experiences as creatives with roots in Polynesia, the partnership has strengthened their bonds to Aotearoa.
“Our cultures in New Zealand and the Pacific make us unique and who we are,” says Netana. “Undoubtedly we are native and we are proud of it. So to be on a world stage and to be able to show the world who we are is important – especially now,” he says.
“Everything that I do as a Māori is always going to be a little bit political. We are always going to stand up for our culture and traditions back home. Being able to do something like this for New Zealand and have my own family and children see feels pretty amazing.”
Previous Air New Zealand designs have been created by a vast portfolio of names including Vinka Lucas, Zambesi, Isabel Harris for Thornton Hall, El Jay for Christian Dior, Barbara Lee Design and at one stage, the French fashion house Nina Ricci in 1975. The current uniform created by Trelise Cooper, has been in rotation since it launched in 2011.
“I first met Te Rangitu five years ago and bringing him into this project was deeply important to me. His artistry and profound connection to te ao Māori have enriched every design element with cultural richness and storytelling,” Wickstead says.
“Together, we have crafted a narrative that celebrates heritage, craftsmanship, and a shared sense of belonging – values that are deeply meaningful to both Air New Zealand and to my own design philosophy. This collaboration has been an inspiring and rewarding journey, reflecting the beauty, strength, and spirit of Aotearoa.”
Netana is also reflective of his position as an Indigenous artist working in more commercial spaces, offering sage advice for the next generation of artists navigating these opportunities, acknowledging that a typically Kiwi can-do attitude is already an advantage.
“The key is going out there and testing yourself in the big wide world. As New Zealanders, if we say something – we’re going to do it.
“Indigenous cultures are also important in helping shape the fashion world because we can foresee the faux pas. So, there’s value in being able to come in and guide design companies in the right direction.
“I also make sure that I have at least a connection back home that I can talk to. I have great counsel from my elders, so it’s great to be able to go back home, debate and talk with them about what I’m doing and thinking when it comes to my work.”
Wickstead’s final designs for Air New Zealand will make its official public debut on April 11.
Dan Ahwa is a senior premium lifestyle journalist for the New Zealand Herald, specialising in the intersections of style, luxury, art and culture.
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