MAKU is named after its founder, Maku Fenaroli.
For years, Maku felt she had to hide part of her heritage. After moving to Melbourne in 2013, she began using her Māori name again through her art, reconnecting with an important part of her identity.
When she launched her fashion label in 2024, choosing the name MAKU was a natural step. It became a way to build something that reflects who she is, both creatively and personally.
For Maku, fashion begins the same way her art always has. With paint.
Every MAKU print starts as a hand-painted artwork, brush to paper, with colour layered slowly and imperfections left intentionally. Texture and movement remain central to the process, allowing each garment to carry the feeling of the original artwork.
From the first brushstroke to the final piece, the human touch remains.
