Maya Duckworth | McCall MacBain Kupe Leadership Scholar

Master of Arts | Geography

Our clothing carries layers of meaning. Clothing allows for self-expression, but also facilitates shared-expression and belonging. Yet our relationship with clothing has fundamentally changed in recent times, and we are faced with a global clothing industry that is in many ways exploitative and unsustainable. 

I am keen to join some of the reimagining of the clothing industry that is happening around the motu, and am particularly interested in solutions that are inclusive, accessible, and affordable. My passion lies predominantly in the intersection of localism and sustainability. Revising our scale of living to be smaller and more localised is an idea rich with ecological and justice potential. My research this year will take me down the path of Aotearoa/New Zealand-made, exploring the meanings we attach to the clothing in our wardrobes, and thinking about how we might reimagine our relationship to clothing. 

Sponsor: McCall MacBain Foundation

Mentor: Jacinta Fitzgerald, founder of Make Good & Programme Director of Mindful Fashion NZ