Moira Te Whata, Head Designer at Untouched World, takes us behind the scenes to explore the collaborative artistry of their new print, where natural dyes and botanical inspiration intertwine to capture the living rhythm of nature.

The Dappled Bloom print was an evolution of time and unknown circumstances. When I create a seasonal print for our collection, I love to make it entwine with our colour palette and the feeling each collection brings; it then evolves as the collection comes to light. This one felt fresh, with a summery palette of natural blues and soft lilacs, teamed with hints of greens and neutrals. A print that feels cohesive throughout the collection, accentuated by all its colours, is a must.

We work with natural dyer, Ari Terahova, who creates her own colours for artworks through her business, Urban Foraging Studio. I explained to her what I wanted to achieve and she created a bespoke kit of natural colours derived from berries, harakeke and other natural sources. It included a small, hand-collected seashell filled with naturally derived colours, alongside tools like bamboo shoots for a brush and for mark-making. This, to me, felt like the essence of Untouched World.

Experimenting with the colours meant first seeing how they worked with each other and how they changed throughout the drying process. They went on the paper as a lilac tone, drying to a blue. It was fascinating to watch as the colours merged and entwined. I captured these special moments in stages and used them throughout varying stages of the print process. Every colour was captured as it appeared, then repeated in the print exactly as seen.

 

The dahlias capture a beautiful rhythm of nature, not only in their colours but in the way they are dressed in layers, much like our styles. Layers of beauty collected in different tones, held together by a line drawing that captures the naturally derived colour.

We have designed the styles in a 100% tencel blend, printed with the Dappled Bloom, to reflect ease, style and comfort. Tencel is made from responsibly sourced wood pulp through a closed-loop process. In summer heat it drapes rather than clings, breathes through the warmest afternoons, and stays cool where it touches you.

You’ll find the print on the Paisley skirt, the Lea dress and the Florine top. Each piece is strong on its own or layered with others from the collection. Worn together, they create the layered feeling of dahlia blooms; paired with other pieces, they enhance each other’s colours and style.

The palette sits comfortably alongside the rest of our SS26/27  Silhouettes in Bloom collection, so the print layers easily with the season’s skirts, vests, tees and jackets. Wear it against denim, off-white linen or the softer neutrals already in your summer wardrobe.

A quiet backdrop lets the print behave the way the dye did on paper: shifting under the light, catching you differently each time.

Moira Te Whata is Head Designer at Untouched World, the Ōtautahi Christchurch sustainable fashion brand, where she leads a team designing collections inspired by the New Zealand landscape.