Road to Vancouver Fashion Week.

Hi all,

My name is Shannon Thompson, I am a 26yr old New Zealand/Maori Fashion designer based in Christchurch, New Zealand.

In recent years i worked as a Menswear designer in London, travelled Europe and America for work and am currently back home working on my own brand, called - OUT OF COMFORT, which I launched in October 2017.

OUT OF COMFORT is a brand that embodies self expression, authenticity, comfort, and quality product all the way down to the last stitch! I want to encourage our country/world to shop less and buy quality, which in turn brings longevity and timeless product within and outside of New Zealand Fashion and consumerism!

I am proud to say it is all Made here in New Zealand, at a small but growing scale.

I believe supporting our own economy and amazing workers is so important! and I hope to be able to keep this as part of OUT OF COMFORTS DNA for as long as possible!

I put together my first collection named 'Long time come' in 2017, creatively influenced by New York Photographer 'Jamel Shabazz' and from this capsule range, I have been scouted and invited to attend and show my collection at Vancouver Fashion week in September 2018.

As a very new brand to the industry this all came by total surprise! Thinking i was just being spammed by email!

But after a couple of Skype calls and follow up meetings the value of this opportunity became clear as they have offered and organised models, hair, makeup, backstage help, PR, media and VIP tickets to all shows for myself which i am extremely thankful and humbled by.

Overall I am so honoured and grateful to be acknowledged in such an incredible way! Especially so early on in my career of owning a label/company which is very much still a baby learning to walk,

not to mention all the way over here in Aotearoa!

Being the only Maori designer invited, is also very important and significant to me, not only being able to represent my culture as a Maori on an international platform but also on a worldwide stage is a pretty cool and amazing opportunity!

So I have created this "Give a little" page to raise funds to put towards my flights, accommodation, and the entry designer package.

This is a huge ask but I believe it is achievable and to be able to see my work overseas and be personally invited means a lot to me and is a dream come true.

I want to represent my work, my brand, my story, my culture and my beautiful country Aotearoa within this trip to Vancouver.

Any tiny little bit counts and I hope that you will believe in this journey just as much as i do!

Forever Grateful!

Shannon.