Untouched World has always been, and always will be, a brand that celebrates living in harmony with nature. Our ethos centres upon having a positive impact on the environment, so it’s a given that we often look to nature not just as a driver for our brand purpose but as creative inspiration.
‘Where Whispers Become Echoes’, our AW24 collection, draws its palette, texture and character from the surrounds of Kura Tawhiti, Castle Hill. A place of great spiritual and cultural importance for Ngāi Tahu Iwi, it is renowned for its colossal limestone boulders which have been sculpted and softened by the elements over the course of millions of years. Peppered with perfectly sized handholds and cubbies in which to rest and reflect, you’d be forgiven for thinking they had been purposefully carved and carefully placed, but they are, in fact, a wonderful quirk of nature.
Perched 700 metres above sea level in what is now the Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area, Castle Hill was known as Te Kohanga or ‘birthplace of the Gods’ in Waitaha times, as well as being a key natural ‘observatory’ for predicting the coming seasons and weather patterns.
A place that demands such reverence and holds so much history was ripe with inspiration as we embarked upon the concept and design for our AW24 collection and campaign. Our Brand Director, Vanessa, crafted the story for the collection around Castle Hill, which is also the setting for our campaign shoot:
Though it may seem abstract, a story that refines – and defines – the mood in this way gives our team a unified starting point from which to work. It is one voice, becoming many. With the overall concept rooted in the magic of Castle Hill, we began to build our collection, drawing upon elements such as the poetry of nature, the peace the location brings, the magnificence and quiet strength of the landscape, and the dance of shadow and light upon the surface of the rock.
With a strong concept in hand, design details began to emerge. Intricate patterns woven into knits and artfully translated onto fabrics mirror the ancient formations of the rocks. Subtle nuances of rock surfaces are reimagined in the tones and textures of our seasonal prints, Ecopossum knits and earthy gradient stripes. Shades of basalt, latte, fern and clover reflect the terrain as you approach Castle Hill, while tones of terracotta, bluestone, and beetroot are borrowed from the picturesque surrounding landscape.
Just as Castle Hill bestows its visitors with a sense of ease, so too does our collection. Laidback knits, gently tailored trousers, well-cut shirting and cosy coats exemplify the timeless separates we’ve created this season that offer enduring, effortless style. The boulders at Castle Hill have weathered storms and remained for generations. We craft our clothes to do the same, both in the fabrics and fibres we source along with their design and construction.
As ever, natural fibres sit at the heart of each piece. In the AW24 collection, you’ll find fabrics such as Airewool - a felted-feel Merino, BCI Cotton Cashmere, CoolTree – a ZQRX merino and TENCEL™ blend, our easy-care machine washable merino wool – an enduring brand favourite, and beautifully lightweight Mohair. All our fabrics and fibres are sourced with the care and consideration you can, and should, expect from us at Untouched World.
We are thrilled to share our new collection with you and offer a behind the scenes peek into the story behind the concept and how we developed it as a team. To explore AW24 and embrace the beauty of Castle Hill:
