Kiri Nathan

Fashion Designer

Kiri Nathan’s (Ngāpuhi, Waikato Tainui) designs have been worn by the likes of Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Demi Lovato, Will.I.Am, Ed Sheeran, the Obamas and Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. As a 19-year-old solo mother, she began her three-year diploma in Visual Arts, majoring in Fashion. Kiri also went back to the marae to learn traditional Māori raranga (weaving) and the making of Korowai (cloaks)

In 2010 she launched the Kiri Nathan label which fuses exquisite, high-end fashion, Pounamu jewellery, handwoven accessories, contemporary Korowai and Kākahu (Māori cloaks). It’s a family-owned business which is supported by husband Jason Nathan (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua) a self-taught carver who creates the Kiri Nathan Pounamu Jewellery Collection.

Recently, Kiri, a mother-of-five, added a BLAKE Leader Award – given out every year to celebrate extraordinary New Zealand leaders who have made significant contributions to the nation as well as the Māori Business Woman of the Year for 2019 at the MWDI Māori Business Women Awards – to her growing list of accolades.

This is her story – Kiri Nathan – Indigenous 100