Every collection begins with a feeling before it becomes a design.
Sometimes it starts with colour.
Sometimes with emotion, memory, movement, or whakaaro.
And sometimes it begins simply from the desire to create something that feels different — something that carries its own identity and presence.
At Korowai by Hiria, our collections are never created just to “add another design.”
Each one carries its own story.
As our work has evolved, we’ve found ourselves drawn more and more toward contemporary expression — exploring colour, texture, silhouette, and the emotional feeling a piece can hold when it’s worn.
That creative process is one of the parts we love most.
It gives us space to create pieces that feel individual, expressive, and connected to the people wearing them.
Some collections feel bold and visible.
Others feel grounding, reflective, or deeply connected to emotion and identity.
Even our colourways carry their own energy and meaning — from the strength of Rangatira Red through to the softness and warmth of Whenua Brown.
Over time, we realised people weren’t simply choosing colours.
They were choosing what they connected with.
What reflected them.
Collections like Piataata and Hiwa were created from this place of exploration.
Not only thinking about how a contemporary korowai looks, but how it feels.
How movement changes the piece.
How colour shifts its presence.
How contemporary design can still carry meaning and intention without needing to explain everything.
That balance has become an important part of our creative direction.
There’s also a lot that happens behind the scenes before a collection is ever released.
Ideas are tested.
Colours are explored.
Textures are layered.
Sometimes concepts evolve completely from where they first began.
Not every idea becomes a final piece — and that’s part of the process too.
Creating this way takes time, but it allows each collection to develop its own personality rather than feeling rushed or repeated.
As Korowai by Hiria continues to grow, storytelling has become just as important to us as the finished pieces themselves.
Because every collection represents more than a product release.
It reflects creativity, identity, whakaaro, and the journey of continuing to evolve as a contemporary Māori design brand.
This is the story behind our collections.
Not just what they look like — but what inspires them, shapes them, and gives them life.
Ngā mihi,
Hiria