Jasmine Kroeze. Photo: Rachel Hadfield
New Zealand artist Jasmine Kroeze has a diverse canvas of achievements, from life-sized murals to intricately detailed works of art. With landscape inspiration and earthy shades a common thread through her pieces, Jasmine’s unique perspective can be found across large murals to textile prints.
The Tauranga-based artist’s background includes her own ethical fashion label (Pinch & Punch), so the opportunity to collaborate with globally successful Kiwi giant Kathmandu presented a unique chance to tie together the threads of many of her great creative passions.
The result is a covetable special capsule collection released as part of Kathmandu’s new Spring Summer 23 launch. The limited edition range includes three print-based t-shirt designs – two in the women’s collection and one in the men’s, inspired by Jasmine’s connection to earth, nature, and sky.
Hailing from a fashion and textiles background, Jasmine has been a working artist for 12 years, creating original art spanning large-scale murals, digital designs and illustrations from her oceanside home studio in Pāpāmoa Beach.
“I would describe my work as colourful chaos made up of cut-out shapes. I get my inspiration from the world around me; the beauty of nature offers so many possibilities to get creative,” says Jasmine.
“I was astonished when I first saw that Kathmandu had reached out to me to collaborate. To be approached by such a well-known Kiwi brand was an honour and I was so excited the team loved my art.”
The collaboration process took place entirely virtually in 2021. Jasmine worked closely with Kathmandu’s apparel team across an eight-week process that allowed her full creative autonomy from initial meeting to finished design.
“The brief from Kathmandu was very open, so I had the opportunity to explore multiple concepts. I really wanted to encapsulate what the brand meant to me, and I pulled on imagery and photography I loved of the New Zealand landscape as inspiration,” she says.
Kathmandu General Manager of Product, Robert Fry, says that as a proud New Zealand brand of 30 years, being surrounded by some of the world’s most impressive nature, the opportunity to collaborate with a talented Kiwi artist who is just as inspired by New Zealand’s beauty has been an incredible opportunity.
“We look forward to seeing customers wearing the Kathmandu x Jasmine Kroeze range while embracing nature and getting outdoors this summer,” he says.
Jasmine’s capsule collection forms part of Kathmandu’s new Spring/Summer range, available in stores and online now.
Jasmine has also collaborated with Kathmandu to create the Ridgelines all over print, featured on the Pocket-it Women’s Two Layer Rain Jacket, also currently available.
Images supplied