Fashion and Lifestyle

What fascinates me about the fashion and lifestyle industries is the intersection of creativity and business. These are essential to New Zealand’s economy and it has been a pleasure to engage in these industries and tell stories that paint a picture of the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes. These are stories where history, culture, innovation, sustainability, and tech converge.

In the Business of Underwear Chloe Julian discusses the intricacies of designing lingerie for Agent Provocateur and being called by Rhianna to design for her label, Savage X Fenty. And Te Papa lifestyle curator Stephanie Gibson talks about the change in rules of decency.

Most of us own a pair of jeans and they have become ubiquitous essentials in our wardrobes. In this story, I wanted to look at the changes in the denim landscape and why some denim brands will always be staples.

How has music influenced fashion? And what do you need to wear as a B-Boy or B-girl on the dance floor?

DJ Sirvere owns at least 500 pairs of shoes and keeps 100 pairs on rotation and is s self confessed Sneaker head. he talked to me about the intersection of hip-hop and fashion and why kicks by Tinker Hatfield will always be his number one.

Touted as the most comfortable shoe in the world by Time Magazine, the Allbirds brand founded by Kiwi entrepreneur, Tim Brown quickly hit the ground running with a focus on new tech and sustainability.

A camera clicks, followed by another and another until there’s a cacophony of camera shutters as hundreds of photographers clamber to capture guests stepping out of a runway show at Paris Fashion Week. It’s chaotic and frenzied but it’s a world that Kiwi photographer Dan Roberts (founder of Threadslike) is well accustomed to.

It’s always interesting to look at how industries can change, and fashion is no different. But the environment that society is living in will always be a massive influence. Barbara Herrick, the designer behind high-end 1960s label, Babs Radon talks about the change to decimal currency and how it impacted the fashion industry, running a business and how something about Queen Elizabeth II caught her eye.

Science - Sociology/ Psychology

Below are some highlights of content I produced for RNZ Science podcast, Our Changing World. With a fascination for finding out what makes people tick, I have primarily covered sociology and psychology stories.

For this episode, I wanted to set the scene and get the listener hooked for what was essentially, a research-based interview on relationships and coercive control.

Movies and crime shows often feature characters that in today’s language we would simply call, ‘psychopaths’. But in this episode of Our Changing World, I wanted to find out what really makes a psychopath, are they born or ‘created’ and what are the nuances?

Ongaonga, or the native New Zealand tree nettle, is covered in spines that deliver a painful sting. But scientists hope the fearsome plant could be used to treat pain, not just cause it.

If you’ve ever heard the phrase, ‘grumpy old men,’ well there could be a reason for it according to Otago Psychology Professor, Ted Ruffman.

What if you were told that micronutrients could be a solution to treating depression, stress, anxiety and even behavioural disorders like ADHD? I went to Christchurch to find out how research during the earthquakes led to other discoveries.

Having a child myself, I wondered about what connection between children’s drawings and what it could reveal about their internal emotional world. I met Harlene Hayne a professor of psychology and Vice Chancellor at the University of Otago, who over the past two-decades has been researching children’s art.

Arts and Culture

I spent much of my early broadcasting career producing arts and culture stories, interviewing film makers, poets, writers, traditional visual artists, designers, street artists and more. Added to this, I have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the creative process because of my background in theatre-making, which has enabled me to ask the right questions and get inside the work.

For Crime Scene, I took inspiration for the style of production from TV show, Twin Peaks and the images of Laura Palmer floating down the river. The story is about a photographer who takes Film Noir crime scene photography. I conceived the production style before I recorded with the photographer, so i was able to set the scene by playing one of his victims. This story won a silver award at the New York Festival Radio Awards.

Street art has impact, and I’ve always loved it as a means of bringing art to the people who wouldn’t norally have access to it. Today’s street artists are savvy and before Covid, traveled the globe, sharing their work with on the world stage. in this episode for RNZ documentary series Spectrum, I met local and international street artists who converged on Napier to paint inner city walls with a message about the importance of marine conservation issues.

The parameters of producing arts stories, or any story for that matter, is only limited by your imagination. The approach to this story was ‘quirky’. Hard to Find Books in Auckland is an iconic store and the owner had some extraordinary stories to share including an interaction with a vampire, finding unexpected items in old books and he offers some sage advice for people to keep in mind.

Out at Whitereia Polytech a new school was set up to teach electronic music production and hip-hop MC’ing established by MC Raw. The story showcased up-and-coming talent and the personal stories they share through their music.

To me, The Wizard of NZ remained a bit of a mystery…until now. On producing this episode of RNZ podcast Eyewitness, I realised there was more to him than meets the eye. Finding a way to tell the story without getting lost down th rabbit hole on the way was part of the challenge.

Women have often been seen through a particular lens both in history and through the media. These are some stories that highlight social and political issues for women.

In 2018, I produced a podcast series for RNZ commemorating 125 years of women’s suffrage. That podcast was ‘Beyond Kate’ .

The challenge was mammoth. My focus for the series was to look at the past and the present, dissecting the socially complex historical biases that have led to inequality for women today. My accompanying written articles were also published by www.stuff.co.nz

Unwrapping the Petition is the first episode of Beyond Kate, celebrating 125 years of women’s suffrage in New Zealand. To listen to the whole series, head here.

More than the Baby Blues was a one-off feature length documentary looking at the impact of antenatal and post-natal depression. The idea for the story came about as I had experienced both and wanted to get an idea of what it was like for other women, the stigam or lack o understanding around it and how it impacts on wellness.

There are times you get caught up in an interview and it’s hard to hold back the tears. This was one of those stories and even when I listen back, it takes me right back to the one moment I saw the cast of a pair of feet of an unborn baby.

No Heart Beat was a story I produced for long running RNZ programme, Spectrum and looks at the immediate loss of losing a baby and the people who support parents dealing with grief.

Megan Compain has had an extraordinary career that has taken her around the globe. She has represented New Zealand twice at the Olympic Games, but she also made sporting history as the youngest player, and the only New Zealander to play for the WNBA.

Diversity and Inclusion

As a woman of colour I have always made a conscious and concerted effort to include culturally diverse voices in my work. Not only is it important to provide other perspectives outside of the mainstream, but acknowledging New Zealand’s increasingly multicultural landscape is essential.

Below are some examples of my work showcasing ‘diversity.’

Caught Between Two Worlds is an episode from women’s suffrage series Beyond Kate, which explores what it means to be a woman of colour in a predominantly white society and the complex layers of rules and expectations that exist.

Decoding the language of love, Voices/ RNZ looks at the rules for online dating and finding love.

Abubakar (Abs) is one of the loveliest people I have interviewed. But behind his warm, open smile belies a story and experiences that he will never forget. This episode from podcast series, Only Human looks at what it means to put your life on the line for others. And that’s exactly what Abs did when he joined the five month war in the Philippines.

Lynette Forday was one of the first Asian actors to appear on mainstream TV in New Zealand. She talks about the pitfalls of coming into being at a time when publishers refused to put women of colour on their magazine covers.

History

I love making history content, and bringing the past to life is always a fun, creative challenge. In my mind’s eye I want to bring the listener into the world of the past, so that it feels relevant and engaging. Here are some examples of history podcast content for RNZ.

Marie Storey was among the first group of female officers to join the police in the 1940s. She talks about the terror of looking for a stalker in Wellington’s Mount Victoria and the steps made to pave the way for women in the force.

Helen Harris (nee Arnold) underwent New Zealand’s first open heart surgery performed by Sir Brian Barratt-Boyes at Greenlane Hospital in September 1958 when she about 10-years-old. She recounts what the experience was like and the aftermath.

In this episode of Eyewitness, I spoke to Georgina Beyer about Carmen Rupe - known as a transgender trailblazer in New Zealand and Australia.

Glory in their Eyes was a one-off feature documentary looking at New Zealand’s participation in the Gallipoli Campaign. Made mostly using disparate pieces of archival audio, it was my job to create a timeline of events that could weave the interviews together with a narrative arc. I also looked to old diary entries and newspaper articles to bring a personal touch to the stories, integrating sound fx and music to set the scene. i also recreated a sense of the landing through scripting and sound.