Cool, calm, and Blak

THE KIWI DESIGNER of Blak, Teresa Hodges, never ceases to amaze with the wonderful innovations and creations of her collections. Having been in the industry for nine years now, she says, ‘Experience has given me a fantastic grounding and the knowledge and experience to be where I am today.’

Designing her clothes to offer the perfect solution to customers’ practical needs, her two lines, Blak Basics and Blak Luxe, are comprised of pieces, that while flexible to the needs of the individual woman, still make a statement on the wardrobe.

When asked what influenced her decision to get into the field of fashion, Teresa says, ‘I have always loved fashion, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I’m addicted to it … It’s always evolving, always changing, nothing ever stays the same, there’s never a dull moment!’ This fondness for fashion is reflected in the spirit of the pieces in the Blak collections.

The clothes Teresa designs are wearable, fresh and unique, her collections appealing to a variety of age groups and style preferences. Inspiration for the clothes come from environments Teresa finds herself in and the designer admits, ‘Fabrics are really key for me, but also books and magazines, artists, blogs, movies, the list goes on, it’s a very organic process.’

She notes, ‘I don’t have a muse per se to inspire my collections. On the business side of things my family, friends and colleagues definitely encourage and inspire me.’ It is this strong support system that continues to allow Teresa to expand her market by expanding Blak further in Japan and the United Kingdom. It is this support that also keeps her grounded: ‘spending time with my children and husband’ are the best way to unwind at the end of a chaotic day or week.

The more immediate future also bodes well for the line with the impending New Zealand Fashion Week and launch of the winter 2012 collection. Blak has collaborated with an artist to create an exclusive print for winter 2012, a development that Teresa excitedly admits ‘is amazing—we are loving that it brings the collection together and tells the story about the theme and feeling of the collection.’

Blak, which will showcase its collections for the second time next week at NZFW in Auckland, will definitely be rocking the runway with its original designs. Teresa says, ‘I’m enjoying that I know what comes next at each step in the preparations, it takes a lot of the stress out of it. I’m looking forward to hearing the reactions to the collection and also have a few key offshore media and buyers I am looking forward to connecting with.’

And for those who want to know what Teresa’s key to success in the often cut-throat industry is, she exudes a love for the trade when she responds, ‘Be passionate, the more you put in the more you will get out of it.’ With such a contagiously optimistic attitude and bubbly persona, we are sure that Teresa will continue to shine wherever she sets foot. •

Sabine Ernest is a writer for Lucire.

Related articles
	Mastering the art of moderation Deryn Schmidt rings in the summer trends with both playful and professional pieces, by Sopheak Seng
	Migration stories With his second collection at Paris Fashion Week—his fourth to date—Ehud Joseph has shown his strength as a designer, writes Sopheak Seng