The Pacific Sisters' costumes

“We follow the ancient way of working from the environment… We don’t stare at coconut trees – we stare at motorways.” – Pacific Sister Rosanna Raymond

The Pacific Sisters are a trailblazing Tāgata Moana art collective from Aotearoa New Zealand. Since 1991, they’ve been mixing Māori, Pacific and queer identities with art and activism. Their unique style ‘indigenises’ fashion, blending traditional techniques with unconventional materials. Their work reflects New Zealand’s changing cultural and political landscape since the 1990s, drawing inspiration from Afrofuturism, punk rock and rave culture.

Reflecting cultural continuity and innovation, their costumes illustrate how Māori and Pacific identities weave past, present and future together. Each piece represents a unique character, or aitu, with its own story. Through their art, the Sisters advocate for Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and environmental rights, while encouraging younger generations to honour their moana heritage and imagine an inclusive future.

By recycling materials like denim and combining them with traditional fabrics such as tapa cloth and harakeke, their technique of ‘accessification’ creates layers of excess and playfulness. This fusion of old and new celebrates a dynamic, diverse identity.