MAKU didn’t start with a boardroom vision; it started with a moment of exhaustion. Between raising a family and the noise of corporate life, I realized art, my first language wasn't serving me because I was trying to make it fit into a box.  

In 2024, I put my guard down. I stopped following the rules of what I thought a "commercial" brand should be and started following instinct. MAKU became the space where original paintings move beyond the canvas and into the world as garments designed to be felt and lived in.  

I am a creator by nature and an outlier by choice. I am impulsive, visionary, and a bit chaotic and I’ve learned that the best work happens in that mess. Choosing the name MAKU was about owning my Māori heritage and building something that represents the truth over the trend.  

We create the art. The rest is how you wear it.