Looks from the latest Ovna Ovich collection
There’s the gentlest of unspoken assumptions that sometimes socially responsible, sustainable clothing equals boring. Ovna Ovich turns that mindset on its head, delivering a new season drop of rich earth colours of chestnut, mushroom, and grass, across delicate fabrics, which are softly alluring, while merino jersey and a luxury merino possum blend take the heat up a notch.
Alongside the cohesive collection is a range of accessories, including tote bags, socks, and the divisive scrunchie.
A celebration of compassionate and strong women (ovna feminine — ovich masculine), Ovna Ovich is an offshoot of a conceptual university project.
Founded in 2012, the New Zealand label pays homage to the Eastern European heritage of designer and director Marina Davis.
With a background in dancing and performance, this instinctively informs the narratives of Ovna Ovich collections, which are released as chapters: short stories that are designed in small batches and released steadily throughout the year.
A remote upbringing, surrounded by nature, influences the core of Ovna Ovich, which is devoted to making environmentally and socially responsible clothing.
Showcasing fabrics such as Cupro (a more sustainable and ethical alternative to silk), Lenzing Tencel (wood pulp cellulose harvested from sustainably managed eucalyptus trees), New Zealand ZQ Certified Merino and Brushtail Possum Down (a luxuriously soft, pill-resistant yarn that is incredibly light and warm), and organic cotton, the Ovna Ovich collection is proudly made in New Zealand as a means of minimising every piece’s carbon footprint and supporting local manufacturers.
Every Ovna Ovich garment is carefully made with the help of skilled cutters, sewers, and pressers in the immediate Karangahape Road community.
We start the new season with another Chapter, number 19, Cascade, an ode to the past but one that foresees an era of optimism. Cascade is a collection that threads narratives of past chapters and weaves them into the present, with the belief that winter needn’t be so dull.
Ovna Ovich Chapter 19 (Cascade) is available online and through selected retail partners now.
Images supplied