Sydney to Whanganui: Abigail Moir unveils locally made clothing line

Abigail Moir's new range is aimed at "a wide age bracket". Photo / Mike Tweed

Abigail Moir began her fashion career in Sydney, but it's Whanganui that has first dibs on her new line of clothing.

She has just released a range of skirts, tops, and dresses under the brand MOIR.

"I've always worked in fashion and I left school early to study it when I was 17," Moir said.

"I had a little workshop in Sydney and sold to shops around Australia for a number of years, then I went overseas and met my husband and followed him back to New Zealand."

Wellington was their first port of call, where Moir taught at New Zealand Fashion Tech.

After the arrival of their two children, the couple moved to Whanganui.

"My husband grew up here, and his family still has a farm out at Mangamahu. When we had kids we wanted to be closer to them," Moir said.

"We're half an hour out of town. We've got a couple of horses and I've made some good friends. Being part of a rural community has been great."

It wasn't until Moir met Posh Comfort owner Jenny Monk that the wheels of fashion started fully turning again.

"We did a small run of kimonos for the shop over summer which were pretty well received," Moir said.

"It's just expanded from there, really. I wanted a label, and I wanted to do pieces that could fit a wide range of sizes. These designs fit size eight to 18, I'd say."

When she had a shop of her own sewing would be outsourced to other people, but Moir has made each piece in the MOIR collection herself.

"There are a few different designs, and I've expanded on them with different necklines and sleeves and things," Moir said.

"The base shape remains the same. Everything is loosely fitting, quite modern, and simple.

"It's aimed at a wide bracket age as well - from late twenties to late sixties."

Moir said her designs were quite different to anything she had done before, and doing everything herself meant she could keep the prices down as well.

"There's been a lot of frills and bows and detail in the past, but I've kept things really simple for this range.

"Having a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old keeps you pretty busy, so at the moment I just make things when I have time or as needed.

"I don't envisage it turning into some mass-produced clothing label, but it would be great to get some other stockists around the country."