Starving artists fund
Grey Sheep
Location
auckland / new zealand
University
elam school of fine arts
Graduation year
2012
Main Manufacturing Countries
About the Brand
We are a socially conscious, gender neutral clothing brand. All our clothing is ethically made and locally produced in Auckland, New Zealand. We adopt a sustainable approach to making and stand behind the slow fashion movement.
Starving Artists Fund cultivates the culture of 'radical inclusivity' by celebrating individuality, body positivity, diversity, and non-binary perspectives. We prioritise originality in design and aim to create reactionary collections that respond to our times.
Designer bio
Throughout her life, Natasha Ovely has lived in cultures across Asia, the Middle East, New Zealand and Europe. From a young age, she observed clothing in different contexts and its impact on perception.
A vivid image from her childhood includes that of her mother dressed in an abaya in Saudi Arabia while wearing high waisted jeans and a crop top underneath. These experiences evoked an interest in the way fashion shaped value systems, psychology, cultural identity and forms of protest.
Her approach to fashion design is deeply rooted in her Fine Art Sculpture background. She embraces her position as a 'cultural outsider' and applies it to her design.
Self-taught in fashion design, she established Starving Artists Fund in 2018.