Aukaha | Winnie Catherine: the threads of legacy

Winnie Catherine’s 25 Autumn/Winter Collection.

Winnie Solomon, and Vince Ropitini, Massey Graduate and Designer at NZFW.

Winnie Catherine: Threads of Legacy
Nā, Sascha Wall 

The streets of Poneke hum with a unique sartorial rhythm – where vintage gems and op shops sit comfortably alongside emerging New Zealand designers as well as established labels with legacy.

Unlike other major cities in Aotearoa, which often lean into trend conformity, Poneke fosters individuality. You’re less likely to spot the same pair of gazelles or
a stripy lioness T-shirt repeating their patterns along the high street.

Instead, you’ll find a celebration of diverse silhouettes and personal expression woven into the city’s fashion fabric.

A standout brand embracing individuality is the work of rakatahi Kāi Tahu designer Winnifred (Winnie) Solomon, owner of the fashion label Winnie Catherine.

At just 24, Winnie is carving out space in the fashion world with quiet determination and a clear vision. She carries her values – sustainability, care, elevation and
comfort – like notes tucked into her shirt pocket: always within reach, guiding her hand.

The brand’s name is a thoughtful homage to her greatgrandmothers – Winnifred and Catherine – a merging of kuia whose presence Winnie carries with her daily. Winnie recalls that neither had much, but they made do. They made things last. They made things beautiful. That wairua now lives in the seams and silhouettes of every piece she creates, offering inter-generational quality.

Winnie with her whanau, the Solomons, at the World Rugby U20 Championships, supporting brother, Stanley.

Winnie studied fashion design at Massey University, completing a four-year honours degree – a whole half of it during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was a wild time to be learning something so hands-on,” she laughs. “Especially when all you had was a laptop and no access to industrial machinery.” Alongside this already challenging environment, Winnie was born with profound hearing loss, receiving her diagnosis at two and relying on hearing aids ever since.

“During COVID face masks made lip-reading impossible – I was missing the visual cues I usually rely on,” she says. “But I found ways around it. I’m a deeply observant person. That’s definitely a strength.”

Winnie runs the business solo, supported by her lovely intern. Her studio is her sanctuary, filled with fabric, quiet
focus, and the pulse of creativity. Winnie’s haereka into te ao Maori didn’t begin at birth but was sparked during her time at university by a
curiosity that led her to explore kakahu and the stories woven into them.

When we spoke about her whakapapa, what stood out was her openness and honesty. Winnie was not trying to have it all figured out, but listened, asked questions, and leant into spaces that felt safe for connection and growth. Winnie has whakapapa to Kai Tahu, Kati Mamoe, Waitaha and Kati Ruahikihiki through her father’s side, with ties to Ōtākou and descent from H.K. Taiaroa. It’s a journey she’s still on, and one that continues to shape her creative practice in quiet, meaningful ways.


“I want to create clothes that feel like armour,” she says, “but also like home.”

In August, Winnie stepped onto the runway as part of Ahua Aotearoa’s group show at New Zealand Fashion Week – a milestone that marked her debut in the event’s
anticipated return. It was a milestone that marked her immersion into the scene as well as a continuation of something deeply rooted.

Winnie Solomon’s designs resonate in a city that prizes originality over uniformity. Her kākāhu offer something rare: garments that carry memory, intention and mana. Pieces that feel like a quiet conversation between generations, speaking to contemporary wāhine.

As Poneke’s fashion scene continues to evolve, Winnie’s presence signals not just a new name to watch, but a deeper shift towards clothing that holds meaning, and towards makers who honour where they’ve come from as much as where they’re going.