Four of Wellington’s most distinguished designers will take over City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi between 5–7th June for Common Material: a new cultural event born from the city’s fashion community, with ambitions that extend beyond it.
The three-day programme at City Gallery Wellington marks the first public opening of the building in over two years, and will be the first edition of what its founders hope will grow into a biennial for New Zealand’s design community.
The event brings together the work of leather goods label Yu Mei, independent fashion project JPALM, circular fashion brand Kowtow and long-running label Twenty-Seven Names. But the vision held by its initiators is larger: Common Material is conceived as the first edition of an ongoing Wellington Biennial that grows with each iteration, drawing in furniture designers, typographers, architects, jewellers, ceramicists and other creative practitioners until it reflects the full breadth of Wellington’s design output.
The event is intended above all as a practitioners’ forum: a place where designers across disciplines can gather, exchange ideas and showcase New Zealand design standing on the world stage.
In June, a central exhibition will present garments, materials and archival works from each designer, highlighting approaches to production, craft and the realities of making fashion in Aotearoa.
This will be accompanied by a programme of ticketed runway shows, talks and conversations; offering audiences multiple ways to engage with the work, from behind-the-scenes glimpses through to finished collections.
The event is spearheaded by an interest group drawing together representatives from the four labels, headed up by Jessie Wong (Yu Mei) and Charlotte Davy (City Gallery Wellington), with art direction and graphic design by Seb McLauchlan and Johannes Bay and spatial design by Cheshire Architects. Presented in partnership with City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi.
Wong is clear about the long-term intention. That Common Material is not simply a fashion event; it is a foundation for something more expansive.
“Wellington produces an extraordinary concentration of talent. Fashion and furniture designers, typographers,
architects, jewellers and ceramicists who have had their start here do incredibly well on the international stage,” says Wong.
“We see this event as a way to help grow our creative industry here – and the ambition is that in two years’ time, we return with a wider group of design practitioners and a true biennial on our hands.”
Common Material will debut Yu Mei’s first foray into womenswear, with designs drawn from the codes of men’s tailoring and rendered in traditional menswear fabrics alongside 100% cashmere knits. The garments are made to measure and will not be widely available.
Yu Mei have also collaborated with Wellington designer Gerard Dombrovski on an edition of 100 sculptural hydroformed steel stools. These stools serve as the seating for the exhibition and are available to purchase, taking the work beyond the gallery and into collectors’ homes.
Jessie Wong and Gerard Dombrovski.
Runway shows – presented by JPALM, Twenty Seven Names and Yu Mei – are $99.
Talks are $39. Entry to the central exhibition is free.
