Te Ohmz return this weekend for another session at Provedore. With Iraia and Sage as the rhythm section and then Ryan Prebble and Mara TK sharing the vocals and rhythm guitar duties this should be pretty dope.

Good denim is timeless and this season workshop go vintage with some nice worn bits. The thing that seems to be going crazy this season is navy stripped tees and knitwear. I was wondering whether the Coco Chanel film had anything to do with it. There is a scene where Coco goes to the seaside and is inspired by the fishermen in their big woolen coats and navy stripped tees. I don’t mind, they look great and it’s such a good look.

Helen Cherry has dropped the first batch of winter goodness including some beautiful dresses. always sexy and sophisticated and so damn hot.

Paula Coulthard is a textile artist and designer who made a name for herself creating up-cycled woolen homeware items and really nice hand made woolen coats and every year her work gets better and we reckon she is onto something with these Victorian inspired slips and dresses. Nice and light and loose and they look good on any body… easy. We have a few left but they won’t last long.

Rio is one of the baddest bass players in the country and now after trinity roots the brother has gone on to work on his solo album and has an EP and 12″ called Wahine Toa. Shit is dope with solid production from FFD’s DJ Fitchie. now out on vinyl at conch. Rio is on the road playing bass with Bic Runga, Tim Finn and old D. Dobbyn.

Just recently Aroha Lamour, together with Hawthorne Coffee have set up a coffee machine in store. The coffee is fair trade organic and roasted especially for us!

The best thing about this is the style and the kraftwerk early digital sampled sound. I remeber first hearing this as a kid and it sounded so fresh and new, the sound of the future.

I printed this design on some nice lightweight hemp fabric we had lying aound the store. I thought black would be nice and after printing decided that a couple of cushions could be choice and here we have the result that i’m pretty happy with. I then started pondering whether i should do some more items like this and decided that yes i should. I had a think about branding – apparently i need to have a brand and one that stuck is Aroha&Friends. So there you have it, the humble beginnings of a little product range from Aroha&Friends. Sweet. Now i just have to come up with the rest of the collection.

Here is a new print. This store has been around for a really long time, i think since the 50’s. It is probably the longest standing shop front in Napier. It’s now up for sale along with a bit of land next to it and soon will be bowled and replaced by some fancy new development.

We have a new batch of clutches from Phillipa. All hand punched and the illustrations are all pretty amazing.

Owl & Rats inside

Owl & Rats reverse

Stags in black.

Stags reverse.

Goats in blue black.

Goats reverse.