Summary“Boina keake, I'm Dru Douglas and I mainly identify as Papua New Guinean, specifically from Rabaul, Papua New Guinea (PNG) which is where I was born and raised. My mother is from Rabuana, Matalau and Pilapila villages in East New Britain (PNG); my dad was Anglo-Indian and was born in New Delhi, India but grew up in Tāamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa.”
Dru is a fashion designer based in Tāmaki Makaurau who draws inspiration from the cultural diversity that contributes to the everyday fashion of Papua New Guinea, combining elements of bilas, traditional cultural dressing, with the Western style of dressing introduced by Christian missionaries. His fashion label ‘Lumai’ is a celebration and exploration of his heritage, laid over with a modern aesthetic. Utilising 3D rendering software, Dru brings his remarkable and distinctive designs to life in a form that encourages the viewer to experience them alongside their domestic, cultural and environmental inspirations, creating a vibrant visual experience at the intersection between fashion, technology and art.
Creative Process
As someone who is always looking for new elements to bring into his practice, Dru took on the challenge of developing a new set of skills in 3D animation over the duration of his two-week residency. Utilising YouTube tutorials to self-teach he worked experimentally in this novel form, bringing together technology, heritage, childhood memory and contemporary practice. This synthesis aligned with the path that brought him to here;
“I think that is why I enjoy throwing myself in at the deep end, I value what uncertainty reminds me each time, that everything will be ok. Creating this digital fashion video reminded me of the cumulative experiences that we push through to get to where we are - the never-ending journey of growing and learning.”
"My Fale-ship residency made me think back to the community that was fostered during the volcanic eruptions, the love and care that was shown with what little everybody had. Bringing these joyful memories back through small video snippets of aigir and mumu preparations my sister in Papua New Guinea sends me.”
Leading up to now Dru has been focusing on weaving digital mahi into their fashion practice in a conscious effort to be more sustainable and produce less waste in the development phase of creating a collection. For his brand Lumai Capsule 2 was patterned, sampled and fitted digitally without creating any paper or textile waste. As an emerging pacific creative Dru demonstrates an understanding of how essential it is to develop and model work practices that are ethical and sustainable for the benefit of all our communities.
‘Madapai’
Dru Douglas’ final offering for his Fale-ship Residency is ‘Madapai’ (Motherland). In this visually captivating work Dru has utilised 3D rendering software to position his stunning fashion pieces within a triptych platform building layers of image that acknowledge and honour the inspiration drawn from his home in Papua New Guinea. Visceral elements of home, volcano and ocean, food and community, inform how we receive and interpret Dru’s elegant and aspirational designs. A rich soundscape deepens the experience.
The result is a work which connects on many levels with deceptive ease, showcasing Dru’s finely worked fashion design resting in a place of deep enjoyment which celebrates the whakapapa of the creative work, placing it in its birthplace of The Pacific, connecting the artist and the viewer through the concept of home.
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