INSPIRATIONAL TAYLOR WOMEN - INTRODUCING RAWINIA + KURA HIGGINS #10

A mother and daughter relationship represents an individual connection, one that Rawinia and Kura Higgins clearly have. They share with us the special part that taylor has played in enabling them a medium to bond over. Read on to discover more about them both and how they have developed a detailed eye for picking out taylor pieces that ensure versatility, comfortability and a point of difference within their wardrobe.

Rawinia wears the Originate Coat, Crosswise Oblique, Extension Tank and Quartz Pants. Kura wears the Magnitude Coat, Undone Tunic, Inflection Dress, Extension Tank and Principal Venetian Pant.

Can you tell us about the moment you first discovered the taylor brand?

Kura: I was first introduced to taylor by raiding my mums wardrobe, and since then I tag along with her almost always when she pops in.

Rawinia: I remember seeing taylor in the ʻKia oraʻ magazine on a flight once and at the time I thought, ‘I must go to the taylor shop’. As with a lot of things, it went out of my mind and I forgot about it until I was walking through town one day and saw the sign, went in and the rest as they say is history.

Rawinia wears the Originate Coat, Crosswise Oblique, Extension Tank and Quartz Pants. Kura wears the Magnitude Coat, Undone Tunic, Inflection Dress, Extension Tank and Principal Venetian Pant.

How would you describe your personal style? Has your style changed over the years?

Kura: I am going through a transitional phase with my style now that I am a young professional. I am more considerate with the pieces that I purchase, I think about the quality and how versatile a piece is for both work and play. But I don’t think I could give up my pairs of dungarees, I save those for the weekend.

Rawinia: It has modified over time. But now, I mainly try and dress for comfort while trying to look professional. You canʻt really go past a good tailored blazer or jacket as you can make that work with both work and casual. taylor’s range also allow you to layer clothes and in Wellington this can be really helpful. I like the cut of the outfits because you can add colour or texture in either obvious or subtle ways that give your clothes a bit of an edge.

Rawinia wears the Originate Coat, Crosswise Oblique, Extension Tank and Quartz Pants.

Can you tell us a bit about your career and how you approach dressing for work?

Kura: I’ve recently moved in to the public sector working as a policy analyst, which largely involves a lot of reading behind a desk. I’ve been told I don’t dress like the stereotypical policy analyst, which I take as a compliment. I dress for myself and what I feel confident in. I’ve always been taught to dress with pride and I think stay true to that.

Rawinia: I am the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori) at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington. My role means that I spend a lot of time meeting people from across the University and beyond. Consequently, I always try to make sure that I look professional. I always plan out the week to see what sort of meetings or engagements I have before I decide on what to wear. I am also the Chairperson and Commissioner of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (The Māori Language Commission) as well as a member of the Waitangi Tribunal. These roles make me consciously consider what I should wear, particularly with the different types of engagements I need to do, especially as the Commissioner. One of the interesting aspects of these roles is that I get invited to attend a diverse range of events that sometimes require an outfit that is a little more dressier than what I would normally wear to work. One of the great things about taylor is that you can dress up or down a lot of the pieces which makes it more versatile, especially when youʻre busy.

Rawinia wears the Detach Scope Vest, Sheer Analogy Shirt, Undone Tunic, Extension Tank and Cogent Pants. Kura wears the Scope Coat, Swivel Tunic, Undone Tunic, Panelled Washed Relief Pants and Extension Tank.

What has been the most memorable moment of your career so far?

Kura: Maybe when I finally got a job out of university! No, but in all seriousness, this is a tough one to answer as I am only in the early stages of my career. But if I had to choose one it would probably be in my previous job, where I was fortunate enough to travel and run workshops for rangatahi Māori in communities. I met so many incredible people along the way who shared the same passion in helping rangatahi and their whānau.

Rawinia: There are so many to recall but the most recent achievement was the approval of our business case to redevelop our marae complex at the University using the Living Building Challenge. The Living Pā will be a multi-purpose learning, teaching, research and engagement space that will help reshape the way we think about our engagement with the environment but also with each other as people. As issues about climate change continue to challenge our future, the Living Pā hopes to bring people together to actively engage in how we modify our behaviour for the betterment of tomorrow. Our project saying is ʻMō te āpōpō – building a better tomorrowʻ and how we think about sustainability and a brighter future and the changes we need to make this a reality. Why this is a memorable moment of my career, is that this project has been in the making for over 30 years. It builds on the legacy of many people who were at the University before my time, so getting the Council approval for the business case is a significant milestone. Although it is only just the beginning, as we still have fundraising and design work to complete, – it is very exciting.

Proposed plan for the Living Pā, the redevelopment of the marae precinct at Victoria University of Wellington, that Rawinia is working on. (Illustration by Stantaill Studio Ltd).

What inspires you the most about each other?

Kura: I could say her drive and motivation, but what inspires me most is her generosity. She is generous with her time, knowledge and dedication. This generosity requires sacrifice, of which many don’t see but she gives her all in everything she applies herself to.

Rawinia: Her strength, beauty and more importantly her kindness. She is always kind to everyone she meets and tries to be inclusive of people. Ever since she was young, she would always make sure that those who were shy or introverted were included in whatever activities she or others were doing. This kindness also manifests in her stand for social justice, whether it be against someone who was bullying another person, or animals or an environmental issue. I admire her strength to stand up for what she believes in and not be afraid to speak her mind.

Kura wears the Covet Coat, Ripple Necessary Tee, and Extension Tank. Rawinia wears the Transparency Jacket, Crosswise Oblique, Undone Tunic, Extension Tank and Quartz Pants.

Tell us about your experience shopping together as mother and daughter here at taylor?

Kura: Great for me, tough on her wallet…she is generous in this sense too haha. My mum is one of my best friends and so we appreciate each other’s advice, and this is no different when we go shopping. It makes it so much easier at taylor with the help of Renee and Tish, who are always so lovely and helpful! It makes the experience that much more enjoyable.

Rawinia: Our experiences are varied from us enjoying the sales together to me dragging her into the shop so I can get her opinion on something I have seen online and whether I suit it or not. Every time we go to the store we are always greeted kindly by Renee, Tish and the other staff which makes the experience more enjoyable. To be fair I try and get Kura to buy more things when we are shopping but she is more conscious about her picks. She also gets first dibs on my wardrobe when I am clearing it out – and the taylor pieces are usually the first ones she takes.

Kura wears the Covet Coat, Ripple Necessary Tee, and Extension Tank. Rawinia wears the Transparency Jacket, Crosswise Oblique, Undone Tunic, Extension Tank and Quartz Pants.

Outside of work, what are you passionate about?

Kura: Travel!

Rawinia: I am passionate about te reo Māori and even though that could be seen as my work – I do spend time on this outside of my work at the University. I enjoy supporting others to develop language revitalisation plans for their families and reintroduce te reo Māori in their homes and with their respective families.

Kura wears the Scope Coat, Swivel Tunic, Undone Tunic, Panelled Washed Relief Pants and Extension Tank.

How do you like to unwind on the weekends and what do you like to wear?

Kura: Sleep in, go out for brunch and spend time with whānau and friends! I like to dress quite casual on the weekends after a week of wearing corporate gears, something effortless paired with sneakers.

Rawinia: I spend most of my time working so when I have weekends to myself I always enjoy spending time with family and friends or just relaxing at home. It’s more of a novelty than you think. I enjoy wearing some of the more casual tops from taylor with my jeans or casual pants. I like them because they look edgy and stylish but can be casual at the same time. More importantly I like them because they are comfortable and you can layer them.

Rawinia wears the Detach Scope Vest, Sheer Analogy Shirt, Undone Tunic, Extension Tank and Cogent Pants. Kura wears the Scope Coat, Swivel Tunic, Undone Tunic, Panelled Washed Relief Pants and Extension Tank.

What do you love about taylor as a brand?

Kura: How cohesive and timeless the pieces are! The designs can easily be incorporated with the rest of your wardrobe while completely transforming an outfit.

Rawinia: Versatility and style. I particularly like the aesthetic particularly as it creates an edgy look to professional wear. I mostly buy the same pieces in different colours or textures because I like the cut and design and the ability to add layers and textures to mix things up. More importantly, I really appreciate the staff who are generous with their time and effort to make each experience important.

Rawinia wears the Originate Coat, Crosswise Oblique, Extension Tank and Quartz Pants. Kura wears the Magnitude Coat, Undone Tunic, Inflection Dress, Extension Tank and Principal Venetian Pant.

What are your top picks from the taylor winter season 'Motion, Space and Form'?

Kura: The Principal Venetian Pant in black, the Covet Coat and all of the ivory knitwear like the Tied Lucent Sweater!

Rawinia: I like the look of the knitwear, especially the Quartered Sweater. I always like a good jacket so the Sheer Cocoon Jacket and the Opacity Jackets have caught my eye. The Inflection and Reprise Dresses also stand out for me - probably because I really like this season’s colour palette.